Cloud Atlas
Cirrostratus (Cs)
A thin, whitish veil of ice cloud — famous for halos around the Sun or Moon.
How to spot it
- Thin, milky veil that can cover much of the sky
- Often smooth or faintly fibrous
- Look for a halo around Sun/Moon (a big clue)
What it can mean
- Common ahead of warm fronts and larger weather systems
- May thicken/lower into altostratus over time
- Indicates moisture spreading in at high levels
Photography tips
- Shoot halos with the sun just behind a building/edge
- Expose carefully to avoid blown highlights
- A wider lens helps capture the full ring