distinctive fairly large lowering of the rain-free base of a Cb, often rotating. Other planets Venus Thick overcast clouds of sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide in three main layers at altitudes of 45 to 65 km that obscure the planet's surface and can produce virga. Stratiform Overcast opaque clouds sheets. Stratocumuliform Wave clouds with clear gaps through which lower stratiform layers may be seen. Cumuliform and cumulonimbiform Embedded convective cells that can produce lightning. Mars Clouds resembling several terrestrial types can be seen over Mars and are believed to be composed of water-ice. Extremely high cirriform Noctilucent clouds are known to form near the poles at altitudes similar to or higher than the same type of clouds over Earth. High cirriform Thin scattered wispy cloud resembling cirrus through which the planet's surface can be seen. High stratocumuliform Thin scattered wave-cloud resembling cirrocumulus. Low stratocumuliform Wave-cloud resembling stratocumulus, especially as a polar cap cloud over the winter pole which is mostly composed of suspended frozen carbon dioxide. Surface-based Morning fog of water and/or carbon dioxide commonly forms in low areas of the planet. Jupiter and Saturn Cloud decks in parallel latitudinal bands at and below the tropopause alternately composed of ammonia crystals and ammonium hydrosulfate. Cirriform Bands of cloud resembling cirrus located mainly in the highest of three main layers that cover Jupiter. Stratiform and stratocumuliform Wave and haze clouds that are seen mostly in the middle layer. Cumuliform and cumulonimbiform Convective clouds in the lowest layer that are capable of producing thunderstorms and may be composed at least partly of water droplets. an intermediate deck of ammonium hydrosulfide, and an inner deck of cumulus water clouds. Uranus and Neptune Cloud layers composed mainly of methane gas. Cirriform High wispy formations resembling cirrus. Stratiform Layers of haze-cloud that lack any distinct features. Cumuliform and cumulonimbiform Lower-based convective clouds that can produce thunderstorms. See also Cloud species Notes and references External links Introduction to Clouds (National Weather Service) Ten Basic Cloud Types (National Weather Service) International Cloud Atlas online (Archived) Cloud Appreciation Society Texas A&M Cloud Glossary Cloud-identification site UK Met Office cloud classification page Cloud Atlas (Atlas Chmur) (in Polish) NOAA Satellite interpretation lv:Mākoņu veidu uzskaitījums pl:Chmura#Klasyfikacja chmur