Cumulonimbus (Cb) – Derekscope

These are vertical clouds that can extend to high altitudes, their bases start at low levels.

Cumulonimbus (Cb) ~ Vertical Development
Heights in metres: between 500 metres to 20,000 metres.
Height in feet: between 1,600 feet to 66,000 feet.
Height in miles: between 0.3 miles to 12½ miles.
Height in kilometres: 0.4km to 20km.

Cumulonimbus (Cb)
– It is a type of towering, dense cloud that brings stormy weather.
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What makes it special?
– It grows very tall
– From low levels up to the upper atmosphere.
– Has a distinctive anvil-shaped top (flattened at the top).
– Looks dark and heavy at the base.
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Key features of Cumulonimbus clouds
– Thunderstorms
– Lightning
– Heavy rain
– Hail (sometimes)
– Tornadoes (in severe cases)
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Simple way to remember
– Think of it as a “storm cloud”
– The kind you see when the sky suddenly gets dark and dramatic before a downpour.

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Here’s the breakdown, what you’re seeing:
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– They are a specialised type of cloud, mainly associated with thunderstorms and strong vertical development.
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– Unlike the broader cumulus family, Cumulonimbus itself is classified into two types of species of Cumulonimbus and three types of varieties, not dozens of types (See below).
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Species of Cumulonimbus (two types)

Cumulonimbus calvus
Early stage of development; top still rounded, not fibrous.

Cumulonimbus capillatus
Mature stage; top shows fibrous or hair-like structures.

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Varieties / Features (three types)

Cumulonimbus incus
Characterized by an anvil-shaped top; often seen in fully developed thunderstorms.

Cumulonimbus flammagenitus
Formed due to large heat sources like wildfires or volcanic eruptions.

Cumulonimbus mammatus
Recognisable by pouch-like formations hanging from the cloud base.

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Image of Cumulonimbus (Cb) by Derek Rowley