- Clouds that reach very low altitudes.
- Nimbostratus ~ Low to Mid-level clouds
Heights in metres: base (bottom) 300 metres to mid-levels (top) 7,000 metres.
Heights in feet: between 1,000 feet to 23,000 feet.
Heights in miles: between ½ miles to 4½ miles.
Heights in Kilometres: between 0.3km to 7km.
- Nimbostratus
– It is a type of cloud that brings continuous, steady precipitation.
– Basically the kind that gives you long periods of grey, rainy weather.
– Often associated with low-pressure systems and fronts.
o - Key features of nimbostratus clouds
– The cloud base is low.
– The cloud layer is deep and widespread.
– Produce steady rain or snow (not short showers)
– Often make the sky look dull, gloomy, and low.
– The sun is usually completely hidden.
– Thick, dark, and layered ~ they cover the whole sky like a blanket.
– That’s why they often make the sky look completely overcast and bring long-lasting rain or snow.
o - Simple way to remember
– “Nimbo” ~ rain
– “Stratus” ~ layer
– so Nimbostratus ~= a rain-filled layer cloud.
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- Here’s the breakdown, what you’re seeing:
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– Nimbostratus clouds is described as a thick, dark, and featureless grey layer that have no species or varieties.
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– While it lacks species, it is often associated with specific supplementary features and accessory clouds.
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No species of Nimbostratus (Ns) (no type)
- Nimbostratus
Nimbostratus with continuous rain (warm air) or snow (cold air) ~ the classic form producing steady precipitation.
- Nimbostratus
Diffuse or layered Nimbostratus – slightly thinner or more uniform layers, sometimes merging with stratus clouds.
- Nimbostratus (rain)
Cause rain through a process called large-scale lifting, where a massive body of warm, moist air is forced to rise over a cooler air mass.
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Images of Nimbostratus by Derek Rowley
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Nimbostratus in cold air (snow)
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Nimbostratus in warm air (rain)
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Nimbostratus clouds
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Back to Earth Features – Clouds Development
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