Field Guide / Clouds & Weather Signs
Stratocumulus
Low, lumpy gray and white rolls that often cover much of the sky. It is a common, mostly dry cloud that can bring light drizzle.
- Height
- Low Clouds
- Abbreviation
- Sc
- Typical altitude
- Below about 6,500 ft (2,000 m)
- Usually means
- Dull and damp
How to recognize it
- Low, rounded rolls or patches, gray and white with darker areas.
- Individual rolls are wider than about three fingers at arm's length.
- Gaps of blue may show between the rolls.
What it usually means
- Usually dry, though sometimes light drizzle or flurries.
- It often covers the sky on cool days and may break up in the afternoon.
- It does not usually signal a major change.
What to do outdoors
- Dress for a cool, gray day, and expect it to break up or thin out later.
- Check the forecast, since stratocumulus can be a part of a wider system.
Often confused with
- Altocumulus: higher, with smaller cloudlets.
- Cumulus: separate puffy clouds with bright tops and gaps of clear sky.
Field notes
Stratocumulus is among the most common clouds in the world. It often forms in the cool, stable air of a high-pressure system and may hang around for a day or more.
Related guides
Cloud signs are rough guides, not forecasts. Always check the National Weather Service forecast at weather.gov before and during a trip, carry a way to receive alerts, and treat any watch or warning as a reason to change your plans. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.