a low, ragged, broken stratus cloud that appears torn or fragmented, typically forming when larger cloud masses break apart.
From Latin fractus (broken) + stratus (a layered cloud). Literally means 'broken layer-cloud,' describing the fragmented appearance of low stratus clouds.
Fractostratus clouds often form beneath heavy rain clouds when strong downdrafts shred them apart—they're nature's graffiti, weather made visible as torn patches across the sky.
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