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.
Altostratus
Cirrostratus
Altocumulus
Cirrocumulus
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
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.