Humidity, temperature and topography play a role in how close we are to the clouds. The thicker, low-lying clouds help keep solar radiation from reaching the surface.
The thinner, higher clouds trap the sun's energy like a greenhouse gas on Earth. As the Earth warms, scientists are concerned about whether climate change is affecting the height of clouds. If so, this could affect the amount of sunlight and heat we perceive at Earth's surface. Clouds were more common on the East Coast and Pacific Northwest than on the Southwest and Central Plains. The East Coast, the Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes had the most clouds during the winter. In the spring, most clouds formed in the Pacific Northwest, while most clouds on the West Coast are heavy strumulus and stroculus clouds. These clouds look different than the coastal fog, which are heavy and puffballs. Some of the lowest clouds form along the California coast, which is generally more cloudier, particularly in the spring.