The following 20 question quiz asks multiple choice questions based on the information covered at this following webpage: http://theweatherprediction.com/clouds/ and other sources.

An answer key is provided at the bottom of this webpage.

1. These are high clouds that are composed of ice crystals:
a. Cumulus
b. Nimbostratus
c. Altocumulus
d. Cirrus

2. A wall cloud is an example of a(n):
a. Accessory cloud
b. Upper level cloud
c. Cirrus
d. Lenticular

3. Clouds that develop due to convective uplift are termed:
a. Stratiform clouds
b. Noctilucent clouds
c. Cumulus clouds
d. Fair weather

4. Which of the following is a cloud on the ground?:
a. Funnel cloud
b. Fog
c. Wall cloud
d. Shelf cloud
e. All of the above

5. All the following are cirrus type clouds except:
a. Mackerel sky
b. Mare's tails
c. Anvil
d. Fractus
e. Uncinus

6. Precipitation generated from dynamic lifting and not convective lifting will fall from a _____________ clouds.
a. Nimbostratus
b. Cumulonimbus

7. The prefix "alto" means:
a. Upper
b. Middle
c. Lower

8. The two ingredients needed to form clouds aloft are:
a. Instability and lifting
b. Lifting and saturated air
c. Wind shear and Lifting
d. Air with a high dewpoint and instability

9. Which clouds occurs at the highest altitude:
a. Altostratus
b. Cirrostratus
c. Stratocumulus
d. Noctilucent
e. Lenticular

10. The term stratus means:
a. Vertically developed
b. Upper level
c. Horizontally layered
d. Low level

11. Cloud droplets can remain liquid even when they have a temperature of below freezing.
a. True
b. False

12. A mid-latitude cyclone will often have a __________ shape on satellite imagery.
a. Rectangular
b. Dumbbell
c. Comma
d. Pentagon

13. These are cirrocumulus that look like fish scales.
a. Lenticular
b. Mackerel Sky
c. Mare's tails
d. Uncinus

14. A ring around the sun or moon will show when they shine through this cloud:
a. Nimbostratus
b. Altocumulus
c. Fair weather cumulus
d. Cirrostratus

15. The most fair weathered and smallest of the cumulus clouds is the:
a. Cumulus congestus
b. Cumulonimbus
c. Cumulus humilis

16. Fog formed by cooling of the earth's surface at night is:
a. Radiation fog
b. Advection fog
c. Steam fog
d. Frontal fog

17. Precipitation that vaporizes before making it to the earth's surface is:
a. Fog
b. Virga
c. Cloud droplets
d. Haze

18. The clouds produced behind aircraft exhaust that is often visible high aloft are called contrails.
a. True
b. False

19. The height of stratus cloud bases tends to lower as a warm front approaches.
a. True
b. False

20. This is the visible portion of a tornadic circulation produced by condensation of rapidly rotating rising air.
a. Hook echo
b. Mammatus
c. Funnel cloud
d. Wall cloud


1. D
2. A
3. C
4. B
5. D
6. A
7. B
8. B
9. D
10. C
11. A
12. C
13. B
14. D
15. C
16. A
17. B
18. A
19. A
20. C