How large can a cloud cover be?

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SUMMARY

Cloud cover on Earth can reach extensive sizes, particularly with stratus clouds, which can span hundreds of thousands of miles in breadth and typically exist at altitudes up to 2 km. While measuring such large coverage presents challenges, continuous cloud cover can be observed during flights across the US. Additionally, localized cloud types like cumulonimbus can reach heights of 16 km, with some instances recorded at over 22 km in tropical regions. Understanding these cloud types and their characteristics is essential for grasping the scale of cloud cover.

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  • Knowledge of cloud types, specifically stratus and cumulonimbus clouds
  • Understanding of cloud altitude measurements
  • Familiarity with satellite imagery and its interpretation
  • Basic meteorological concepts related to cloud formation
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  • Research the characteristics and formation processes of stratus clouds
  • Explore the measurement techniques for cloud cover using satellite data
  • Study the properties and implications of cumulonimbus clouds in weather systems
  • Investigate the impact of cloud cover on climate and weather patterns
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Meteorologists, climate scientists, and anyone interested in atmospheric phenomena and cloud dynamics will benefit from this discussion.

xpell
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Hi! I was watching satellite pics of the Earth and I noticed that continuous cover clouds can be really large. So... I felt curious and my question is obvious: Please, does anybody know how large can a cover cloud be on planet Earth, or at least a few of the largest measured ones? (Not necessarily during hurricanes, typhoons or the like.) Thank you in advance!
 
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I think that is difficult to answer because of the many different types of clouds and conditions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cloud_types#/media/File:Cloud_types_en.svg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratus_cloud
Stratus clouds are low-level clouds characterized by horizontal layering with a uniform base, as opposed to convective or cumuliform clouds that are formed by rising thermals. They have up to 2 km altitude/height and could be hundreds of thousands of miles in breadth. I'm not sure how one would measure such large coverage. I've flown coast-to-coast in the US, and occasionally, the cloud cover was continuous for most of the flight.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratocumulus_cloud
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimbostratus_cloud

There are localized effects - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumulonimbus_cloud - with a height of 16 km. Apparently some have been recorded in the tropics with heights of 22 km or more.
 
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