Code figure CL Form of Low Cloud
0 No Stratocumulus, Stratus, Cumulus or Cumulonimbus
1 Cumulus with little vertical extent and seemingly flattened, or ragged Cumulus other than of bad weather*, or both
2 Cumulus of moderate or strong vertical extent, generally with protuberances in the form of domes or towers, either accompanied or not by other Cumulus or by Stratocumulus, all having their bases at the same level
3 Cumulonimbus the summits of which, at least partially, lack sharp outlines, but are neither clearly fibrous (cirriform) nor in the form of an anvil; Cumulus, Stratocumulus or Stratus may also be present
4 Stratocumulus formed from the spreading out of Cumulus; Cumulus may also be present
5 Stratocumulus not formed from the spreading out of Cumulus
6 Stratus in a more or less continuous sheet or layer, or in ragged shreds, or both, but no Stratus fractus of bad weather*
7 Stratus fractus of bad weather* or Cumulus fractus of bad weather or both (pannus), usually below Altostratus or Nimbostratus
8 Cumulus and Stratocumulus other than that formed from the spreading out of Cumulus; the base of the Cumulus is at a different level from that of the Stratocumulus
9 Cumulonimbus, the upper part of which is clearly fibrous (cirriform), often in the form of an anvil; either accompanied by Cumulonimbus without anvil or fibrous upper part, by Cumulus, Stratocumulus, Stratus or pannus
0 Stratocumulus, Stratus, Cumulus and Cumulonimbus invisible owing to darkness, fog,blowing snow, dust or sand, or other similar phenomena
* "Bad weather" denotes the conditions which generally exists during precipitation and a short time before and after.

 


Code figure CM Form of Medium Cloud
0 No Altocumulus, Altostratus or Nimbostratus
1 Altostratus, the greater part of which is semi-transparent; through this part the sun or moon may be weakly visible - as through ground glass
2 Altostratus, the greater part of which is sufficiently dense to hide the sun or moon, or Nimbostratus
3 Altocumulus, the greater part of which is semi-transparent; the various elements of the cloud change only slowly and are all at a single level
4 Patches (often in the form of almonds or fishes) of Altocumulus, the greater part of which is semi-transparent; the clouds ocurr at one or more levels and the elements are continually changing in appearance
5 Semi-transparent Altocumulus in bands, or Altocumulus in one or more fairly continuous layers (semi-transparent or opaque), progressively invading the sky; these Altocumulus clouds generally thicken as a whole
6 Altocumulus resulting from the spreading out of Cumulus (or Cumulonimbus)
7 Altocumulus in two or more layers, usually opaque in places, and not progressively invading the sky; or opaque layer of Altocumulus, not progressively invading the sky; or Altocumulus together with Altostratus or Nimbostratus
8 Altocumulus with sproutings in the form of small towers or battlements, or Altocumulus having the appearance of cumuliform tufts
9 Altocumulus of a chaotic sky, generally at several levels
/ Altocumulus, Altostratus and Nimbostratus invisible owing to darkness, fog,blowing snow, dust or sand, or other similar phenomena, or more often because of the presence of a continuous layer of lower clouds

 


Code figure CH Form of High Cloud
0 No Cirrus, Cirrocumulus or Cirrostratus
1 Cirrus in the form of filaments, strands or hooks, not progressively invading the sky
2 Dense Cirrus, in patches or entangled sheaves, which usually do not increase and sometimesseem to be the remains of the upper part of a Cumulonimbus; or Cirrus with sproutings in the form of small turrets or battlements, or Cirrus having the appearance of cumuliform tufts
3 Dense Cirrus, often in the form of an anvil, being the remains of the upper parts of Cumulonimbus
4 Cirrus in the form of hooks or filaments, or both, progressively invading the sky; they generally become denser as a whole
5 Cirrus (often in bands converging towards one point or two opposite points of the horizon) and Cirrostratus, or Cirrostratus alone; in either case they are progressively invading the sky, and generally growing denser as a whole, but the continuous veil does not reach 45 degrees above the horizon
6 Cirrus (often in bands converging towards one point or two opposite points of the horizon) and Cirrostratus, or Cirrostratus alone; in either case they are progressively invading the sky, and generally growing denser as a whole, the continuous veil extends more than 45 degrees above the horizon, without the sky being totally covered
7 Veil of Cirrostratus covering the celestial dome
8 Cirrostratus not progressively invading the sky and not completely covering the celestial dome
9 Cirrocumulus alone, or Cirrocumulus accompanied by Cirrus or Cirrostratus, or both, but Cirrocumulus is predominant
/ Cirrus, Cirrocumulus or Cirrostratus invisible owing to darkness, fog,blowing snow, dust or sand, or other similar phenomena, or more often because of the presence of a continuous layer of lower clouds

Persistent aircraft condensation trails and clouds formed from them are reported as cloud using the appropriate CH code figure. Rapidly dissipating condensation trails are not reported. Click here to see pictures of condensation trails.


Code figure C Type of Cloud
0 Cirrus (Ci)
1 Cirrocumulus (Cc)
2 Cirrostratus (Cs)
3 Altocumulus (Ac)
4 Altostratus (As)
5 Nimbostratus (Ns)
6 Stratocumulus (Sc)
7 Stratus (St)
8 Cumulus
9 Cumulonimbus (Cb)
/ Cloud not visible owing to darkness, fog, duststorm, sandstorm, or other analogous phenomena

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