A Field (Lying on My Back)
Little Donny's Field Guide to Clouds
Scientists sort clouds into types, with Latin names. I sorted them my own way, by lying in a field and looking up.
Scientists sort clouds by their shape and how high they float. Cumulus clouds are puffy and white. Stratus clouds are flat and grey. Cirrus clouds are thin and wispy, way up high. They all have Latin names. I spent an afternoon lying in a field and wrote my own field guide.
The Guide
The cumulus. Big, white and puffy, like an excellent pillow. My favorite. It looks like it’s doing very well.
The stratus. Flat and grey, all over the sky, like a ceiling. I’d like to redecorate it.
The cirrus. Thin, wispy and very high up. Hard to impress. Keeps its distance.
The cumulonimbus. Huge and tall, with thunder inside. A cloud with a big personality. I respect it, from indoors.
The Donnycus. A cloud shaped exactly like me. I saw one at three o’clock. It lasted about a minute. It was the best cloud of the day.
Spotting Tips
Lie on your back. Look up. Be patient. Clouds are always changing, so if you don’t like the one you’ve got, wait five minutes.
And if you ever see a cloud shaped like me, please let me know right away. I’d like to name it officially.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which clouds mean rain?
Grey ones, mostly, and the tall, dark thunder clouds. If a cloud looks upset, bring an umbrella.
Can you really name a cloud?
Scientists do add new cloud types now and then, after years of study. I did it in one afternoon.