Stratus Clouds

Stratus clouds are low clouds that spread out in flat layers. They can cover the whole sky and make it look gray. The word stratus means layer. These clouds often bring dull, cloudy days. They can also bring light rain or drizzle.

What They Look Like

Stratus clouds are smooth and flat, not lumpy like cumulus clouds. They hang low in the sky, often less than 6,000 feet up. Sometimes they are so low they touch the ground, and we call that fog. On a stratus day, the sun may look like a hazy spot behind the clouds. The whole sky can look the same from one side to the other.

Stratus Weather

Stratus clouds often show up in the morning and may break up by noon. They can bring light rain or snow, but not heavy storms. These clouds are common near coasts and mountains. Planes sometimes fly above stratus clouds to find sunshine. After stratus clouds clear, the sky is often bright and blue again.

Fun Facts

• Fog is really just a stratus cloud that has settled on the ground.
• Stratus clouds are the lowest type of clouds in the sky.
• Stratus clouds often form on cool, damp mornings.

Did You Know?

If you hike up a tall mountain on a foggy day, you can walk right through a stratus cloud and come out above it.