Genus Cumulonimbus: Towering Vertical
Abbreviation: Cb
Clouds of the genus cumulonimbus have very dark gray to nearly black flat bases and very high tops that can penetrate the tropopause. They develop from cumulus when the airmass is convectively highly unstable. They generally produce thunderstorms, rain or showers, and sometimes hail, strong outflow winds, and/or tornadoes at ground level.
WMO species:
- Cumulonimbus calvus
Cumulonimbus with high domed top. - Cumulonimbus capillatus
Towering vertical cloud with high cirriform top.
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- WMO varieties:
- No varieties (always opaque and never forms in patterns).
- WMO varieties:
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- WMO precipitation-based supplementary features:
- Cumulonimbus virga
Accompanied by precipitation that evaporates before reaching the ground. - Cumulonimbus praecipitatio
Cumulonimbus producing precipitation that reaches the ground.
- Cumulonimbus virga
- WMO precipitation-based supplementary features:
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- WMO accessory clouds:
- Cumulonimbus pannus
Accompanied by a lower layer of fractus species cloud forming in precipitation. - Cumulonimbus incus
Cumulonimbus with flat anvil-like cirriform top caused by wind shear where the rising air currents hit the inversion layer at the tropopause. - Cumulonimbus mamma
Mammatus consisting of bubble-like protrusions on the underside caused by localized downdrafts. - Cumulonimbus pileus
Small cap-like cloud over parent cumulonimbus. - Cumulonimbus velum
A thin horizontal sheet that forms around the middle of a cumulonimbus. - Cumulonimbus arcus (including roll and shelf clouds)
Low, horizontal cloud formation associated with the leading edge of thunderstorm outflow. - Cumulonimbus tuba
Column hanging from the cloud base which can develop into a funnel cloud or tornado.
- Cumulonimbus pannus
- WMO accessory clouds:
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- Non-WMO informal term:
- Hot tower
A tropical cumulonimbus cloud that penetrates the tropopause.
- Hot tower
- Non-WMO informal term:
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Read more about this topic: Cloud Types, Tropospheric Class: Families, Genera, Species, Varieties, and Supplementary Features, Vertical Cumuliform, Stratiform, and Cumulonimbiform (low To Middle Cloud Base)
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