All cloud types
Cloud Name
Cirrocumulus
Tiny white ripples high in the sky, sometimes called a mackerel sky.
What it looks like
Cirrocumulus appears as many small white grains or ripples, usually without shading.
Simple meaning
Usually fair weather, but it can show moisture high in the atmosphere.
For boating
Not normally dangerous by itself, but monitor if it appears with other signs of an approaching front.
How to recognize Cirrocumulus
- Tiny white ripples
- Mackerel-sky pattern
- Very high clouds
- Little or no grey shading