Plain English Meaning

Clouds that spread out in flat, even layers across the sky, like a thin grey blanket, rather than piling up into tall heaps. They usually bring steady rain or snow and smooth air rather than bumpy rides.

Full Definition

A cloud form characterized by horizontal, layered, sheet-like structure rather than vertical development. Stratiform clouds are produced by the gradual, widespread lifting of stable air and typically yield steady, continuous precipitation, smooth (non-turbulent) flight conditions, and uniform cloud bases and tops over large areas.

Context Anchor

Seen in weather discussions of warm fronts, where air often rises slowly and creates widespread layered cloud cover.