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A nimbostratus cloud is a multilevel, amorphous, nearly uniform, and often dark-grey cloud that usually produces continuous rain, snow, or sleet, but no lightning or thunder. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] Although it is usually a low-based stratiform cloud, it actually forms most commonly in the middle level of the troposphere and then spreads vertically ...
Stratus clouds do not produce accessory clouds, but a supplementary feature praecipitatio is derived from Latin, which means "precipitation". Stratus clouds are generally too low to produce virga, or rain shears that evaporate before reaching the ground, although higher stratus clouds can produce it.
At level with stratus nebulosus translucidus (V-90) and opacus (V-91) clouds Stratus fractus (V-89) cloud. Abbreviation: St [9] Clouds of the genus stratus form in low horizontal layers having a ragged or uniform base. Ragged stratus often forms in precipitation while more uniform stratus forms in maritime or other moist stable air mass conditions.
If air near the surface becomes extremely warm and unstable, its upward motion can become quite explosive, resulting in towering cumulonimbiform clouds that can cause severe weather. As tiny water particles that make up the cloud group together to form droplets of rain, they are pulled down to earth by the force of gravity.
However, the cloud sheet is not completely uniform, so that separate cloud bases still can be seen. This is the main precipitating type, however any rain is usually light. If the cloud layer becomes grayer to the point when individual clouds cannot be distinguished, stratocumulus turn into stratus clouds.
Precipitation occurs when evapotranspiration takes place and local air becomes saturated with water vapor, and so can no longer maintain the level of water vapor in gaseous form, which creates clouds. This occurs when less dense moist air cools, usually when an air mass rises through the atmosphere to higher and cooler altitudes. However, an ...
Volutus clouds are much more common in the form of stratocumulus, as opposed to altocumulus volutus. [4] Stratocumulus volutus clouds are not severe, and may only bring several minutes of rain. [5] Alternatively, stratocumulus volutus clouds may form with numerous layers, contradicting the usual rounded form. [6]
The overall impact of clouds on global climate depends on factors such as cloud type, altitude, thickness, and the amount of water or ice they contain. Thin, high-altitude cirrus clouds tend to have a net warming effect, since they allow incoming solar radiation to pass through while trapping heat radiating from the Earth's surface.