This featureless, layer cloud looks awfully similar to the nimbostratus clouds. What’s the difference? These stratus clouds aren’t precipitating…at least not yet. In Seattle, there’s a fine line between the stratus clouds and the lightly raining nimbostratus. These clouds form in relatively stable layers so the drops in the cloud don’t get as large as those in the heavily raining cumulus clouds for example. Have an overcast sky with no rain? There are stratus clouds not far above you!
These are thick enough that you can’t see the sun through so technically they are of the variety Opacus.
Angela Rowe
Location: Seattle, Washington
Date: May 2013
Community Cloud Atlas 