What are the two main types of low-level clouds?

The two main types of low-level clouds are stratus and cumulus. Stratus clouds are typically uniform and cover the sky like a blanket, often leading to overcast conditions and sometimes light precipitation. They form at low altitudes and are primarily associated with stable atmospheric conditions.

Cumulus clouds, on the other hand, are puffy, white clouds that usually indicate fair weather, but can grow into larger storm clouds under certain conditions. They form when warm air rises, cools, and condenses at low elevations, signaling more dynamic weather patterns.

The other options include types of clouds that either belong to different altitude categories or do not represent the primary low-level types. For instance, stratus and altostratus clouds represent different layers, with altostratus being mid-level clouds. Cumulus clouds reside in lower altitudes but combining them with cirrus clouds, which are high-level clouds, does not accurately identify the category of low-level clouds. Similarly, cumulonimbus and cirrocumulus include a towering thunderstorm cloud and a high-altitude cloud type respectively, also mismatching the low-level classification.