Which cloud type is thin, wispy, high in the sky?

• A. Nimbus
• B. Cumulus
• C. Stratus
• D. Cirrus

Answer: (D)

Thin, wispy clouds that sit high in the sky are cirrus clouds. They form at very high altitudes where temperatures are cold, so the water vapor freezes into ice crystals that streak across the sky in delicate, hair-like fibers. This high, ice-crystal composition and the light, feathery appearance set cirrus apart from other common types: cumulus are puffy and grow vertically at lower levels; stratus form broad, flat layers that cover large areas; and nimbus-type clouds are dark and associated with precipitation, usually lower in the atmosphere. So the description matches cirrus clouds.