fractus

fractus

[′frak·təs]

(meteorology)

A cloud species in which the cloud elements are irregular but generally small in size, and which presents a ragged, shredded appearance, as if torn; these characteristics change ceaselessly and often rapidly.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

fractus

Clouds in the form of irregular and ragged shreds. The term applies to stratus and cumulus clouds. Fracto is used as a prefix for cloud forms to indicate that clouds are broken into irregular fragments.

An Illustrated Dictionary of Aviation Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved