Windy Community
    • Unread
    • Categories
    • Groups
    • Go to windy.com
    • Register
    • Login

    Beware of the Cumulonimbus capillatus

    Articles
    article learnclouds low level cumulonimbus cloud types
    4
    5
    7.6k
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • Štěpán ŠubíkŠ
      Štěpán Šubík | Premium
      last edited by Simona Polackova

      As the last low-level cloud species will be Cumulonimbus capillatus (Cb cap), which is a really huge storm cloud. It is still counted as a low-level cloud because its base is usually below 2 km hight, but its top can reach the tropopause, which is about 10 km high in the middle latitudes and in equatorial areas it is about 16 km high. In extremes, the Cumulonimbus reaches the lower stratosphere at 20 km altitude. So, how does it look like, and why should we be careful?

      photo: Pxhere;
desc: Cumulonimbus capillatus storm cloud type low level.;
link: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/590124;
licence: cc

      Cumulonimbus capillatus looks like an anvil because it has a wide top which looks like a hair. And a word "hair" in Latin is "capillatus"! It sometimes remotely resemble a ruffled hair on a cloud, which can be long through all of the clouds. It is a nice look at it, but only from a distance.

      When it comes to precipitation, Cumulonimbus capillatus rarely causes showers. Usually, it makes heavy rain, thunderstorms, strong wind and hail. For all this, it is one of the most dangerous clouds you can spot in the sky!

      photo: Bidgee;
desc: Cumulonimbus capillatus storm cloud type low level.;
link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cumulonimbus_capillatus_3.jpg;
licence: cc

      Cumulonimbus is more likely to occur in summer and in some cases it comes with a cold front, rarely with a warm front.

      Watch out for the Cumulonimbus capillatus and send your photos!

      Gabou971G ? 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 15
      • Gabou971G
        Gabou971 Moderator @Štěpán Šubík
        last edited by

        Those clouds are pure beauty.

        You made a little mistake with the altitudes (15000 and 20000 km)

        :) thanks for all these articles.

        Štěpán ŠubíkŠ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
        • ?
          A Former User @Štěpán Šubík
          last edited by A Former User

          @Štěpán-Šubík

          "... Cumulonimbus capillatus looks like an anvil because it has a wide top which looks like a hair. And a word "hair" in Latin is "capillatus"! It sometimes remotely resemble a ruffled hair on a cloud ..."

          So ... the image shows ... an orange cloud ... with weird hair ... OK.

          Gkikas LGPZG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
          • Gkikas LGPZG
            Gkikas LGPZ Moderator @A Former User
            last edited by Gkikas LGPZ

            @WXcycles
            The "orange cloud" is a Cumulus castellanus.
            Cumulonimbus is the cloud in back (looks like an anvil).
            d7607cc1-ae32-42e6-9438-1bbb8a469697-εικόνα.png

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
            • Štěpán ŠubíkŠ
              Štěpán Šubík @Gabou971 | Premium
              last edited by

              @Gabou971 Thanks for reminding the altitude. My mistake :)

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
              • First post
                Last post
              Windyty, S.E. - all rights reserved. Powered by excellent NodeBB
              NodeBB & contributors, OSM & contributors, HERE maps
              Terms of Use     Privacy Policy