As an important role of the EarthAtmosphere system, cloud not only affects the evolution of climate and weather system, but also is closely related to aviation activities. It has been regarded as one of the meteorological elements highly concerned by air force and civil aviation departments all the time. Based on the development of cloud detection, data assimilation and retrieval methods, from actual service assurance and development of numerical models, we made an overview of the study of cloud analysis methods, cloud prediction methods and system development of cloud analysis and prediction, analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of each method, determined the main differences at home and abroad, and discussed domestic research direction in the future. In cloud analysis methods, sounding is skilled in identification of cloud profile. Visible and infrared satellite data have obvious advantages on cloud-top retrieval. Doppler radar can get cloud information on middle and lower troposphere, and millimeter-wave radar well reflects three-dimensional structure of cloud with huge development potential. In cloud prediction methods, the development of traditional statistical and diagnostic method is relatively mature, while cloud-top brightness temperature simulated by atmosphere radiative transfer model, which considers moisture and temperature of atmosphere and cloud microphysics, will be the development tendency in the future. The enhancement of the cloud detection techniques, comprehensive utilization of cloud analysis and prediction methods, learning from foreign advanced concepts of cloud analysis and prediction system, active development of China’s own system, promotion of the development of weather forecast, aviation meteorological support and numerical prediction models are all areas of domestic cloud research in the future.