Progress in researches on explicit cloud microphysical schemes is reviewed.There are mainly two kinds of explicit cloud microphysical schemes: bulk water technique and spectral bin microphysical(SBM) cloud models.The methods for describing particle spectra in the bulk water technique include single-moment technique and double-moment technique.According to the variables and microphysical processes adding in the model,the schemes can be divided into three classes: warm rain scheme,simple ice-phased scheme and complex ice-phased scheme.Because of numerous variables in the SBM cloud mode and high computational cost,the SBM cloud model is usually used in research.Different models have different explicit cloud schemes.A better simulation is not certainly resulted from a more complex cloud scheme.Different cloud schemes should be selected according to the importance of the study and computational resources.The parameterization of physical processes should be based on the theoretical and laboratory results.The theoretical and laboratory study on the subject should be strengthened to make the parameterization of physical processes more reasonable.