From puffy cotton balls, ripples and delicate wisps to menacing thunderheads, clouds can be picturesque — or a sign that a dangerous turn in the weather looms ahead.

These ever-changing formations mesmerise sky watchers and capture imaginations with their various shapes and forms.

But they also play a crucial role in regulating the Earth's temperature, generating rain which fills dams and streams and helping forecasters predict the weather.

There are 10 main types of clouds, which are divided into three tiers based on where they sit in the atmosphere.

Low-level clouds hover up to 2.5 kilometres from the Earth's surface, middle-level from 2.5 to 6 kilometres, and high clouds are above 6 kilometres.

They are given Latin names to describe their characteristics — for example; cumulus (a heap or pile), cirrus (a curling lock of hair), stratus (a layer) and nimbus (rain-bearing).

As the tempo of daily life slows during this difficult period, perhaps you're finding more time in the day to take in nature or gaze through a window, and simply look up.

Here is what you might see:

Stratocumulus

A stratocumulus cloud formation. ( ABC News: Andrew O'Connor )

Low-level layered clouds, which can be grey or white, appearing as a series of rounded rolls or clumps. They can produce drizzle.

Stratus

A stratus cloud formation. ( Supplied: Michael Bruhn )

Low-level layered clouds which tend to be featureless and cover the sky in a blanket of grey or white. They can also produce drizzle.

Cumulus

A cumulus cloud formation. ( ABC News: Andrew O'Connor )

Low-level individual clouds which resemble white, fluffy cotton balls, in various shapes and sizes. Their base is darker and almost horizontal.

They can indicate fine weather, popping up on bright sunny days, but if the conditions are right they can produce showers which tend to be short-lived, fairly intense and very localised.

They can also produce snow.

Cumulonimbus

A cumulonimbus cloud formation. ( ABC News: Andrew O'Connor )

Low-level, heavy and dense clouds which appear menacing, towering high into the sky.

They can produce extreme and dangerous weather such as heavy rain, hail storms, lightning, squalls and tornadoes.

They are commonly referred to as a thunderhead if observed during a storm.

Altocumulus

An altocumulus cloud formation. ( ABC News: Andrew O'Connor )

Middle-level layered clouds with rippled elements, generally white with some shading. They are mostly associated with settled weather.

They rarely produce showers but if they do, the showers are light and often evaporate before reaching the ground.

Altostratus

An altostratus cloud formation. ( Supplied: Frank Le Blancq )

Middle-level clouds which look like a grey sheet. Some parts of the cloud can be thin enough to allow the sun to be slightly visible.

They tend to produce a decent amount of rain for large areas across Australia, particularly inland. They can also produce snow.

Nimbostratus

A nimbostratus cloud formation. ( Supplied: Martin Gudd )

Middle-level clouds which appear as a dense, dark sheet, thick enough to block out the sun. They produce heavier rain which can be persistent, or snow.

Cirrus

A cirrus cloud formation. ( Supplied: Stephen Burt )

High-level clouds which look like white, wispy strands or tufts (hence the Latin name cirrus, meaning a curling lock of hair). They are made up of ice crystals and do not produce rain.

Cirrocumulus

A cirrocumulus cloud formation. ( ABC News: Andrew O'Connor )

High-level clouds which are rippled or grainy in appearance. They are also made up of ice crystals and do not produce rain.

Cirrostratus

A cirrostratus cloud formation. ( Supplied: Michael Bruhn )

High-level clouds which look like a transparent sheet or veil.

They can produce white or coloured rings or arcs of light around the sun or moon, known as halo phenomena.

They are made up of ice crystals and do not produce rain.

And finally, a beautiful cloudy Australian sunset

A Margaret River sunset featuring two types of cloud formations. ( Supplied: Neil Bennett )

This sunset in Margaret River, WA, features cirrostratus and altocumulus clouds.

Clouds are a critical factor in predicting a beautiful and dramatic sunset.

The best canvases for a striking sunset are cumuliform clouds such as cumulus, altocumulus or cirrocumulus, but cirrostratus or altostratus can also create striking sunsets if they are not too thick or cover too much of the sky.