cirrocumulus
Let an agent explain cirrocumulus, relay appearance, formation, species and weather significance from WMO and meteorology sources, describe the named species and flag the Moazagotl alias, and distinguish cirrocumulus from altocumulus, cirrus, cirrostratus and aircraft contrails.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain cirrocumulus, relay appearance, formation, species and weather significance from WMO and meteorology sources, describe the named species and flag the Moazagotl alias, and distinguish cirrocumulus from altocumulus, cirrus, cirrostratus and aircraft contrails.
A high-level cloud genus, abbreviated Cc, forming at roughly 5 to 12 kilometres, consisting of small white rippled or grainy cloudlets arranged in patches, sheets or layers, made mostly of ice crystals with some supercooled water droplets, producing the pattern called a mackerel sky, with species the WMO International Cloud Atlas lists as stratiformis, lenticularis, castellanus and floccus; the registry alias Moazagotl names a local foehn wave cloud seen over the Silesian Riesengebirge, usually classified as altocumulus lenticularis, and appears loosely filed. Cirrocumulus is relatively rare and short-lived and does not itself produce precipitation reaching the ground.
What it is for: Not applicable; a cloud type.
It can be explain appearance and formation; relay species; describe weather significance; distinguish similar clouds.
Distinguishing features
Small unshaded elements
High altitude
Mackerel sky pattern
Short-lived
What it looks like
Small white grains or ripples high in the sky without shading, like fish scales.
Physical character
abbreviation: Cc code - WMO
altitude: about 5-12 km - varies by latitude
cloudlet apparent width: less than 1 degree - finger width at arm s length
How it is recognised
High rippled cloudlet cloud
Cirrocumulus floccus, cirrocumulus stratiformis, cirrocumulus castellanus, cirrocumulus lenticularis, Moazagotl, mackerel sky
Altocumulus has larger shaded elements; cirrus is fibrous; cirrostratus is a thin veil; contrails are aircraft trails
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
is classified in -
is contrasted with -
is contrasted with - loosely filed alias
In practice
Families and kinds
stratiformis
lenticularis
castellanus
floccus
varieties such as undulatus and lacunosus
Standards and regulation
WMO International Cloud Atlas
METAR cloud reporting conventions
Failure modes and hazards
Confusing with altocumulus
Overstating weather forecasting folklore
Loosely filed alias
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.cirrocumulus
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What cirrocumulus is.
Science.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is cirrocumulus, and how does it differ from altocumulus, cirrus, cirrostratus and contrails? definition
- Is the question about identification, aviation weather or photography? boundary
Species
Named species.
Species
Species.
- What are floccus, stratiformis, castellanus and lenticularis, and what is Moazagotl? definition
- Which entry fits the specific species? action
Meteorology Formation.
Science.
Formation
Formation.
Formation
Formation.
- How does cirrocumulus form from instability at high levels? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Identification
Identification.
Identification
Identification.
- How can observers tell cirrocumulus from altocumulus by element size and shading? measurement
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Weather Weather significance.
Attribution.
Forecasting
Weather lore.
Forecasting
Forecasting.
- What does the saying about mackerel skies claim, and what do meteorologists say, with views attributed? provenance
- Is the presentation neutral and attributed? boundary
Aviation
Aviation.
Aviation
Aviation.
- What turbulence or icing is associated with high cloud layers? provenance
- Which entry fits aviation meteorology? action
Context Culture.
Context.
Foehn clouds
Foehn wave clouds.
Foehn clouds
Foehn clouds.
- What is the Moazagotl, and how did glider pilots use it? provenance
- Which entry fits lenticular cloud? action
Classification
Howard s classification.
Classification
Classification.
- How did Luke Howard s 1803 classification name clouds? provenance
- Which entry fits Luke Howard? action
What the second pass must settle
- The registry alias Moazagotl should be moved to lenticular or foehn cloud entries
- Should species be separate entries?
- How should the Cloud Atlas be linked?