Low clouds: Stratocumulus 1

Illustration of clouds with rain falling down

Illustration of a cloud with rain droplets falling straight down

Illustration of a cloud blowing air symbolizing wind

Illustration of stratus clouds, meaning layer or blanket in Latin. Characterized by horizontal layering with a uniform base. Flat, featureless clouds of low altitude varying in color from dark gray to nearly white obscuring the disk of the sun. Essentially above-ground fog formed either through the lifting of morning fog or when cold air moves at low altitudes over a region

Illustration of cumulonimbus clouds, tall, dense, and involved in thunderstorms and other intense weather. Cumulonimbus means "column rain" in Latin. It is a result of atmospheric instability. These clouds can form alone, in clusters, or along a cold front in a squall line. They create lightning through the heart of the cloud. Cumulonimbus storm cells can produce heavy rain (particularly of a convective nature) and flash flooding, as well as straight-line winds

Illustration of a cumulus cloud, a cloud with noticeable vertical development and clearly defined edges. Cumulus means "heap" or "pile" in Latin. They are often described as "puffy" or "cotton-like" in appearance. Cumulus clouds typically form when warm air rises and reaches a level of comparatively cool air, where the moisture in the air condenses. This usually happens through convection, where a parcel of air is warmer than the surrounding air

Illustration of a nimbostratus cloud, a rain cloud characterized by a formless layer that is almost uniformly dark gray, of medium altitude, usually developing above 6500 ft (2000 m). Nimbo is from the Latin word "nimbus" meaning rain. They may block a great amount of sunlight as a result of their characteristic dense structure

Illustration of a cloud with sheeting rain, coming down hard and slanted