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stratus
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Chinook Illustration showing ten cloud types at different altitudes above the ground: cirrus, cirrocumulus, and cirrostratus at high elevations; altocumulus and altostratus at mid-levels; nimbostratus, stratocumulus, stratus, cumulus, and the towering cumulonimbus clouds at lower to very high elevations, with a plane for scale.
Learn about the four main types of clouds formed at different altitudes
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stratus

meteorology
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Chinook
Chinook Stationary stratus clouds forming a Chinook arch from approaching Chinook winds, Alberta, Can.

Stratus clouds are a low-lying, gray layer that covers a large area. They are a type of cloud that forms a broad layer over the Earth, indicated by the "strat- " root in their scientific name.1

Stratus clouds are classified as low clouds, forming below 2 km (1 mile) in altitude and are typically composed of water droplets. They often result in foggy or overcast conditions. These clouds can form when wind lifts fog from the surface, creating a layer that is not usually more than 600 meters (about 2,000 feet) thick.23

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
3 Britannica Sources
  1. What Does a stratocumulus Cloud Look Like?
  2. How Do Clouds Form?
  3. climate - Cloud types

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