How high are clouds?

Dateline article| David Murphy|

Here are the relative heights at which various types of clouds generally exist.

CIRRUS = about 20,000 feet or higher

ALTOSTRATUS (mid-level clouds) = between 6500 and about 20,000 feet

STRATUS (low clouds) = below 6500 feet

CUMULUS (clouds of vertical development) = base could be below 6500 feet; tops can go as high as 50,000 feet or more

FOG = inches or feet (fog is a cloud that's sitting on or very near the ground)

---D.M.

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