Identify the type of cloud on the basis of the given characteristics :
- 1. High, thin, puffy white clouds of ice crystals that look like ripples
- 2. They appear between 20000 feet and 40000 feet above the Earth’s surface
- 3. One of its types is called a ‘mackerel sky’ because the clouds resemble large fish scales, especially when they are coloured pink at sunset
Select the correct answer.
[amp_mcq option1=”Altostratus” option2=”Cirrostratus” option3=”Altocumulus” option4=”Cirrocumulus” correct=”option4″]
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2024
1. High, thin, puffy white clouds of ice crystals that look like ripples: Cirrocumulus are high-altitude (Cirro-) clouds that appear as small, rippled, puffy patches or globules (cumulus-like). They are composed entirely of ice crystals due to their high altitude.
2. They appear between 20000 feet and 40000 feet above the Earth’s surface: This is the typical altitude range for Cirrocumulus clouds (classified as high-level clouds).
3. One of its types is called a ‘mackerel sky’ because the clouds resemble large fish scales, especially when they are coloured pink at sunset: A “mackerel sky” is a common term for a sky filled with Cirrocumulus or Altocumulus undulatus clouds, which have a rippled or wavy appearance resembling fish scales. The description explicitly links this to one of the types, confirming Cirrocumulus.