question: What are stratus clouds like? answer: Stratus clouds are tall and puffy paragraph: Clouds are classified on the basis of where and how they form. Three main types of clouds are cirrus, stratus, and cumulus. Figure 2.25 shows these and other types of clouds. Cirrus clouds form high in the troposphere. Because it is so cold they are made of ice crystals. They are thin and wispy. Cirrus clouds dont usually produce precipitation, but they may be a sign that wet weather is coming. Stratus clouds occur low in the troposphere. They form in layers that spread horizontally and may cover the entire sky like a thick blanket. Stratus clouds that produce precipitation are called nimbostratus. The prefix nimbo- means rain. Cumulus clouds are white and puffy. Convection currents make them grow upward and they may grow very tall. When they produce rain, they are called cumulonimbus. 