Cloudy connections by Marion Saint-Lu

A comprehensive view and a practical guide to identify the 58 cloud forms listed by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

This unique visualization shows not only the 58 cloud forms but also their hierarchy, how they are connected to each other. It is accompanied with a brief history of the WMO's cloud classification, bringing some context and explanation as to who came up with it and why. The visualization can be looked at in its overall structure or explored into details, but it can also be read to identify clouds. It is designed around the original idea that a cloud's species, varieties and features are often more identifiable than its main type: beyond their mysterious latin names, they can be described with a picture and a few words, while the 10 main types of clouds can take many possible appearances. This is why the main types are represented with symbols here (thumbnails in the center), that show their general shape (layer or individual clouds) and their altitude.

Use this mapping as a guide to identify clouds and enhance your weather observations!