Low Clouds

I went over to the Apple store in Manhasset to pick up my MacBook Pro which needed a new battery. The battery is built in, so they have to change it.  On the way home, driving by the harbor, I saw this thin line of low white clouds in the distance.  That was an unusual sight for me so I stopped and made this photograph. Then I wondered why these clouds formed so low.  I have a friend, George who I know from the Astronomy club in Manhattan, and he also joined ASLI.  He began his career as meteorologist in his native Romania, and then he and his wife emigrated to the United States years ago.  He now works in Information Technology - he saw the future coming when he saw his first computer!  So I asked him why these clouds formed.  Here is his answer:  "Those are stratocumulus clouds, possibly like the ones above you, but you see them from a distance. There also seems to be a bit of enhanced convective activity that pushes some of the tops higher. And the wind at that higher level blows the tops to the right.  What caused these stratocumulus? You're saying it's been raining, so I assume some nimbostratus (think rain clouds) are now breaking up and leaving these behind."  So there you go.  How cool is it that I have a friend who knows all the answers!