The spatial and seasonal distributions of Martian atmospheric clouds, organized according to simple morphologic criteria, exhibit distinct patterns. When interpreted self-consistently using analogies to terrestrial cloud forms and Martian temperatures, wind direction, and water vapor measurements, patterns of cloud occurrence provide some loose constraints on global-scale near-surface wind speed, static stability, and humidity. We have examined all Mariner 9 and Viking Orbiter images for this study; we concentrate primarily on the larger Viking data set. Whenever observations are possible, relatively high near-surface winds appear to follow the seasonal cap edges during early fall, late winter, and spring. Moderate to high winds are also inferred in mid-latitudes for mid southern winter and in low latitudes, mainly in the steeply sloping areas of Tharsia, near the solstices. At other times, lower winds are suspected. Hemisphere asymmetries are traced to differences in atmospheric hydration state and to global dust storm related effects on the atmospheric temperature structure and the north pole cap recession schedule. Cloud occurrence data suggest that the near-surface daytime static stability is low in the northern hemisphere during summer and at low latitudes during mid northern spring. Relatively high static stability is deduced near the winter poles and globally during the dust storm season. In spite of low atmospheric temperatures, the correspondingly low absolute humidity apparently precludes the formation of thick water ice clouds at high latitudes in mid to late autumn and winter in both hemispheres and in southern mid-latitudes during early winter. During northern spring and summer, saturation conditions seem to be easily achieved at mid-latitudes, and condensate clouds are abundant; the situation is complicated by atmospheric dust in southern spring and summer. Low latitudes generally appear to be farther from saturation than mid-latitudes, and clouds generally form more easily in the northern hemisphere than in the south during corresponding seasons.