Consider the following statements about clouds :
- 1. Two major forms of clouds are stratiform and cumuliform.
- 2. According to the altitude, clouds are classified as high clouds, middle clouds and low clouds.
- 3. Stratus, nimbostratus and stratocumulus are types of high clouds.
- 4. Clouds having nimbo attached to their name produce precipitation.
Which of the statements given above are correct ?
1 and 2 only
1, 2 and 4
2 and 4 only
1, 3 and 4
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2023
Statement 2 is correct. Clouds are also classified by altitude into three main levels: High clouds (base typically above 6 km), Middle clouds (base between 2 and 6 km), and Low clouds (base below 2 km). There is also vertical development clouds (like Cumulonimbus) that span multiple levels.
Statement 3 is incorrect. Stratus, nimbostratus, and stratocumulus are classified as low clouds (base below 2 km). High clouds include Cirrus, Cirrocumulus, and Cirrostratus.
Statement 4 is correct. The prefix “nimbo-” or suffix “-nimbus” is used to indicate clouds that produce precipitation. Nimbostratus and Cumulonimbus are the primary rain-bearing clouds.