Cloud types washi tape.

Link for UK customers here.

During my undergraduate degree I had the opportunity to take a course on atmospheric physics and meteorology, which I found fascinating! As it happens, I also took a Spanish course, but that wouldn’t make such a good roll of scientifically accurate washi tape. Anyway...

Meteorologists, or Nephologists (people who study clouds) categorise clouds into five main forms: stratus, cirrus, stratocumulus, cumulus, and cumulonimbus. If one of these types of clouds occurs high up in the atmosphere it gets the prefix 'cirro-', whereas the prefix 'alto-' refers to mid-level clouds. I designed this washi tape to show a variety of different cloud types at different atmospheric heights (the atmospheric altitudes are to scale, of course!), with a huge cumulonimbus cloud spanning all strata on a design that repeats approximately every 7.5cm.

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• Stratus: 'Stratus' is a Latin word which means 'layer', and this is a great description for this type of cloud. If you grew up in the UK you'll recognise this as the type of cloud that made an appearance every playtime, drizzling just enough to soak you through, but not enough for the dinner ladies to declare 'everybody inside!'. If you did *not* grow up in the UK, imagine the sort of weather they depict in TV shows about Victorian London.

• Cumulus: If you were going to draw a cartoon of a cloud, this is the type you'd probably want to base it on. Flat-ish at the bottom and fluffy on top, just like me.

• Stratocumulus: Stratocumulus clouds are usually responsible for the 'corona' effect you sometimes see around a full moon; ice crystals diffract the light and make it look extra spooky.

• Altocumulus: These are usually found between 2km and 6km above sea level and look fluffy and cosy but they're not; they're cold and wet and you'd get a chill if you tried to nap in one.

• Altostratus: You know when the sun's light is being diffused by a large blanket of dull cloud? That's an altostratus!

• Cirrus: The word 'cirrus' comes from the latin word for a curled ringlet of hair; my hair often looks like a cirrus cloud when I wake up in the morning, so I shall henceforth use this more gamourous description.

• Cirrocumulus: Cirrocumulus clouds contain tiny water droplets in a supercooled state, and don't usually hang around for very long.

• Cumulonimbus: The big name in cloud types. You want rain? Get yourself a cumulonimbus. You want lightning? Cumulonimbus. You want a tornado? No? Well you'll want to steer clear of that cumulonimbus over there!

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Did you know that the name ‘washi’ tape is derived from 'wa' meaning 'Japanese' and 'shi' meaning 'paper'? It’s so versatile - washi tape is tearable, reusable, water resistant and biodegradable. It’s often used for decoration (colourful bullet journals everywhere can attest to this!), gift wrapping, scrap booking, and generally jazzing up your life.

Find the ‘atmospheric physics’ companion to this cloud types washi tape here, and find the matching socks here.

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About each bundle:

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Bundle 1 : One roll of cloud types washi tape

Bundle 2 : Two rolls of cloud types washi tape

Bundle 3 : Three rolls of cloud types washi tape

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Approximate sizes:

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Width: 1.5cm (1/2")

Length: 10m (32’)

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Materials:

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Paper washi tape