Altostratus cloud
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| Altitude | 2,000-5,000 meters |
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| Appearance | sheet or layer |
| Precipitation Cloud? | Wide areas of rain and snow |
| Abbreviation | As |
Altostratus is a cloud belonging to a class characterized by a generally uniform gray sheet or layer, lighter in color than nimbostratus and darker than cirrostratus. Means "high spread out." Compare also with lower altitude stratus clouds.
Altostratus is caused by a large air mass that is lifted then condensed, usually by an incoming frontal system.
Altostratus clouds can be found over wide-spread areas.
Altostratus clouds are potentially dangerous, because they can cause ice accretion on aircraft.
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| High Clouds (Family A): | Cirrus (Ci) • Cirrus uncinus • Cirrus Kelvin-Helmholtz colombia • Cirrostratus (Cs) • Cirrocumulus (Cc) • Pileus • Contrail |
| Middle Clouds (Family B): | Altostratus (As) • Altostratus undulatus • Altocumulus (Ac) • Altocumulus undulatus • Altocumulus mackerel sky • Altocumulus castellanus cloud • Altocumulus lenticularis |
| Low Clouds (Family C): | Stratus (St) • Nimbostratus (Ns) • Cumulus humilis (Cu) • Cumulus mediocris (Cu) • Stratocumulus (Sc) |
| Vertical Clouds (Family D): | Cumulonimbus (Cb) • Cumulonimbus incus • Cumulonimbus calvus • Cumulonimbus with mammatus • Cumulus congestus • Pyrocumulus • Pyrocumulonimbus |
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