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Definition
| Cumulus clouds are clouds that are usually of a puffy, popcorn-like appearance, with noticeable vertical development and clearly defined edges. They can be found singly, or in lines or clusters. Given enough instability, moisture and temperature gradient, they are precursors of many other types of cloud.One of the unique characteristics of cumulus clouds is their creation of wind. This happens because the first rain to fall from the base of a cumulus cloud evaporates into the air beneath and cools it, often by several degrees. This cooled air will then descend; the cooler it is, the faster it will fall. |
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Definition
| Cirrostratus clouds belong to a class characterized by a composition of ice crystals.They appear as whitish and usually somewhat fibrous veils, often covering the whole sky and sometimes so thin as to be hardly discernible.Cirrostratus clouds are signs that precipitation will follow in the next twelve hours. These clouds are located above 6,000m (20,000ft). |
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| Cumulonimbus (Cb) is a type of cloud that is tall, dense, and involved in thunderstorms and other intense weather.Cumulonimbus clouds form from cumulus clouds and can further develop to a supercell, a severe thunderstorm with special features. |
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| Altocumulus (alto, "high", cumulus, "heaped") is a cloud belonging to a class characterized by globular masses or rolls in layers or patches, the individual elements being larger and darker than those of cirrocumulus and smaller than those of stratocumulus. Like other cumulus clouds, altocumulus signifies convection. It is usually white or gray, and often occurs in sheets or patches with wavy, rounded masses or rolls. Altocumulus often are seen preceding a cold front, and their presence on a warm, humid, summer morning frequently signals the development of thunderstorms later in the day. |
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| A cirrocumulus is a high-altitude cloud, usually occurring at 20,000-40,000.Like other cumulus clouds, cirrocumulus clouds signify convection. Unlike other cirrus clouds, cirrocumulus include liquid water droplets, although these are in a supercooled state. Ice crystals are also present, and typically, the ice crystals cause the supercooled water drops in the cloud to rapidly freeze, transforming the cirrocumulus into cirrostratus. This process can also produce precipitation in the form of a virga consisting of ice or snow. Thus cirrocumulus clouds are usually short-lived. |
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Definition
| A Nimbostratus is a cloud of the class characterized by a formless layer that is almost uniformly dark gray; it is a rain cloud of the layer type, of low altitude, usually below 8000 ft (2400 m). Nimbostratus clouds a great amount of sunlight as a result of its characteristic dense structure. Nimbostratus clouds stratus, altostratus and cirrostratus all have a smooth gray appearance. Nimbostratus clouds usually bring precipitation |
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