stratocumulus Hear it!

stratocumulus Definition

strato·cu·mu·lus (strāt′ō kyo̵̅o̅m′yə ləs, strat′-)

noun pl. -·li′--lī′

the type of white or gray cloud found at low altitudes and consisting of large, smooth or patchy layers of water droplets and possibly some hail or snow

Etymology: ModL: see stratus & cumulus

stratocumulus Usage Examples

Adjective modifier

  • sub-tropical: ACE Aerosol Characterisation Experiment is a study of the processing of gases and aerosols through hill cap clouds on Tenerife and sub-tropical marine stratocumulus.
  • marine: ACE Aerosol Characterisation Experiment is a study of the processing of gases and aerosols through hill cap clouds on Tenerife and sub-tropical marine stratocumulus.

Modifies a noun

  • cloud: A sunny afternoon, the stratocumulus cloud then increasing to give a cloudy evening with light drizzle by the end of the period.
  • sheet: A sunny start to the morning then a stratocumulus sheet spreading in by 0900 UTC.