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'Stratocumulus Castellanus'
Stratocumulus castellanus is a common cloud of the stratocumulus genus (genus 6 in the World Meteorlogical Organization's classification of cloud genera). It is characterised by large cauliflower-like turrets that rise up from a level base and is found listed as a CL5 or low cloud. . Castellanus is derived from the latin 'castellum' meaning castle and literally means 'turret-like'

Formation
As with stratocumulus stratiformis and stratocumulus lenticularis, stratocumulus castellanus is formed during the transition between low level stratus clouds (CL6) and cumulus clouds (CL1 and 2). This transition is most often the result of upwards convection that lifts and fractures layers of stratus. Due to this convection, these clouds frequently change from one genus to another. For example, stratocumulus castellanus may, if strong updraughts persist for a lenghthly period of time, develop into cumulus congestus clouds of the cumulus (cu) genus. Then, if the upper reaches encounter a temperature inversion, the cloud will spread out to form stratocumulus cumulogenitus (CL4, of the stratocumulus (sc) genus, hence coming full circle.