What is the appearance of a cumulonimbus cloud?
Appearance. Towering cumulonimbus clouds are typically accompanied by smaller cumulus clouds. The cumulonimbus base may extend several miles across and occupy low to middle altitudes - formed at altitude from approximately 200 to 4,000 m (700 to 10,000 ft). Peaks typically reach to as much as 12,000 m (39,000 ft),...
What are the different species of cumulonimbus?
Species 1 Cumulonimbus calvus: cloud with puffy top, similar to cumulus congestus which it develops from; under the correct... 2 Cumulonimbus capillatus: cloud with cirrus-like, fibrous-edged top. More ...
What is the average altitude of a cumulonimbus?
The cumulonimbus base may extend several miles across and occupy low to middle altitudes - formed at altitude from approximately 200 to 4,000 m (700 to 10,000 ft).
What is the difference between cumulonimbus calvus and cumulus congestus?
Species. cumulonimbus calvus: cloud with puffy top, similar to cumulus congestus which it develops from; under the correct conditions it can become a cumulonimbus capillatus. cumulonimbus capillatus: cloud with cirrus-like, fibrous-edged top.
How tall is the tallest cloud?
Noctilucent clouds are composed of tiny crystals of water ice up to 100 nm in diameter and exist at a height of about 76 to 85 km (249,000 to 279,000 ft), higher than any other clouds in Earth's atmosphere.
Are cumulonimbus clouds high or low?
Cumulonimbus clouds are menacing looking multi-level clouds, extending high into the sky in towers or plumes. More commonly known as thunderclouds, cumulonimbus is the only cloud type that can produce hail, thunder and lightning.
How high up are cumulus clouds?
In temperate areas, the base of the cumulus clouds is usually below 550 metres (1,800 ft) above ground level, but it can range up to 2,400 metres (7,900 ft) in altitude. In arid and mountainous areas, the cloud base can be in excess of 6,100 metres (20,000 ft).
How tall are the tallest thunderstorms?
75,000 feetIntense thunderstorms have updrafts strong enough to punch through the tropopause, and the tops of such storms can grow to 65,000 feet. The world's tallest thunderstorms, over the western equatorial Pacific where the tropopause tends to be highest, have been measured at nearly 14 miles high with tops to 75,000 feet.
What happens if you touch a cloud?
Clouds are made of millions of these tiny liquid water droplets. The droplets scatter the colors of the sunlight equally, which makes clouds appear white. Even though they can look like cushy puffballs, a cloud can't support your weight or hold anything up but itself.
What's the lowest A cloud can go?
about 6,500 feetLow-level clouds are found below about 6,500 feet (2,000 meters).
What are the 4 main cloud?
The Four Core Types of CloudsCirro-form. The Latin word 'cirro' means curl of hair. ... Cumulo-form. Generally detached clouds, they look like white fluffy cotton balls. ... Strato-form. From the Latin word for 'layer' these clouds are usually broad and fairly wide spread appearing like a blanket. ... Nimbo-form.
What are GREY clouds called?
Nimbostratus clouds are dark, gray clouds that seem to fade into falling rain or snow. They are so thick that they often blot out the sunlight.
What are tall clouds called?
Genus cumulus: Towering vertical These large cumulus clouds have flat dark grey bases and very tall tower-like formations with tops mostly in the high level of the troposphere. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) designates this species as towering cumulus (Tcu).
What was the worst thunderstorm ever?
DES MOINES, Iowa -- The derecho storm in Iowa from this summer is the most expensive thunderstorm disaster in U.S. history. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is estimating total damage valued at $7.5 billion.
What was the tallest thunderstorm ever recorded?
The highest storms in the world have been recorded in the tropics, where the tropopause is the highest (15-18 km). Thunderstorms reaching 20-22 km high have been recorded there. July 23, 2010, Vivian, South Dakota severe supercell thunderstorm, which produced the world record hailstone (20 cm in diameter!)
What are tornado clouds called?
A tornado is often made visible by a distinctive funnel-shaped cloud. Commonly called the condensation funnel, the funnel cloud is a tapered column of water droplets that extends downward from the base of the parent cloud.
Which cloud is a high-level cloud?
High-level clouds: The three main types of high clouds are cirrus, cirrostratus, and cirrocumulus. Cirrus clouds are wispy, feathery, and composed entirely of ice crystals. They often are the first sign of an approaching warm front or upper-level jet streak.
What are high-level clouds?
High-level clouds form above 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) and since the temperatures are so cold at such high elevations, these clouds are primarily composed of ice crystals. High-level clouds are typically thin and white in appearance, but can appear in a magnificent array of colors when the sun is low on the horizon.
How can you tell if a cloud is high or low?
Low clouds span up to 6,000 feet in altitude. Middle or mid-level clouds usually are around 10,000 feet in altitude and are associated with the 'alto-' prefix. High clouds are often 20,000 feet or higher and have a 'cirro-' prefix.
Where are cumulonimbus clouds located?
the troposphereCumulonimbus clouds form in the lower part of the troposphere, the layer of the atmosphere closest to the surface of the Earth. This region due to evaporation and the greenhouse effect produces alot of the warm updrafts that make creation of cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds possible.