Some clouds look like feathers, cotton balls, or heavy blankets. Each of these clouds has a name and classification. But some clouds are so unusual that scientists didn’t have names for them—until now. Researchers recently named 12 new cloud types. They added the clouds to the International Cloud Atlas, a guide that weather scientists use to classify clouds.
Clouds form when moisture in the air condenses, or turns from gas to liquid. This condensed moisture sticks to bits of dust.
Different clouds form under different conditions. One newly identified cloud is called a “hole punch cloud.” It forms when an airplane flies through a cloud layer.
Studying clouds helps scientists understand weather patterns. “We can learn a lot from cloud shapes, types, and movements,” says Brian Jackson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.