On the basis of a previous algorithm of cloud detection, clouds and aerosols are distinguished by analyzing the backscatter signals of a micro pulse lidar. In this way, the content of clouds are classified into ice, water, mixed-phase clouds and horizontal oriented ice flakes. Finally, the supercooled water clouds are distinguished from water clouds by the information of temperature profiles. The monthly changes of the appearance heights and proportions of the various clouds are also calculated with one-year observations over the lidar site. The supercooled clouds are found to appear at 9.84% of all the cloudy time, and 11.99% of all the time for clouds at from 0℃ to − 40℃.