Cumulonimbus incus
| Cumulonimbus incus | |
|---|---|
 A cumulonimbus incus cloud, showing the characteristic anvil-top shape the cloud type displays | |
| Abbreviation | Cb inc. |
| Symbol |  |
| Genus | Cumulonimbus (heap, cloud/severe rain) |
| Species | Capillatus (Having hair) |
| Variety | None |
| Altitude | Ground to 23,000 m (75,000 ft) |
| Classification | Family C (Low-level) |
| Appearance | Large flat-top cloud |
| Precipitation | Very common rain, snow, snow pellets or hail, heavy at times |
A cumulonimbus incus (from Latin incus 'anvil'), also called an anvil cloud, is a cumulonimbus cloud that has reached the level of stratospheric stability and has formed the characteristic flat, anvil-shaped top.[1] It signifies a thunderstorm in its mature stage, succeeding the cumulonimbus calvus stage.[2] Cumulonimbus incus is a subtype of cumulonimbus capillatus. These clouds are commonly associated with severe weather, including heavy rain, downbursts, and occasionally a tornado.
Hazards
[edit]A cumulonimbus incus is a mature thunderstorm cloud generating many dangerous elements.
- Lightning: this storm cloud is capable of producing bursts of cloud-to-ground lightning.
- Hail: hailstones may fall from this cloud if it is a highly unstable environment (which favours a more vigorous storm updraft).
- Heavy rain: this cloud may drop several inches (centimetres) of rain in a short amount of time. This can cause flash flooding.
- Strong wind: gale-force winds from a downburst may occur under this cloud.
- Tornadoes: in severe cases (most commonly with supercells), it can produce tornadoes. They are not directly produced by cumulonimbus incus but rather produced by supercells which come from cumulonimbus incus.
Classification
[edit]
Cumulonimbus clouds can be powerful. If the correct atmospheric conditions are met, they can grow into a supercell storm. This cloud may be a single-cell thunderstorm or one cell in a multicellular thunderstorm. They are capable of producing severe storm conditions for a short amount of time.
References
[edit]External links
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