Nimbus cloud

A cumulonimbus cloud in central Oklahoma

A nimbus cloud is a cloud that produces precipitation. Usually the precipitation reaches the ground as rain, hail, snow, or sleet. Falling precipitation may evaporate as virga. Rain comes out of nimbus clouds and this is called precipitation. It is usually formed at less than 2000 feet. They bring continuous rain/snow.

Since nimbus clouds are dense with water, they appear darker than other clouds. Nimbus clouds are formed at low altitudes and are typically spread uniformly across the sky.^[1]

Etymology

Nimbus is a Latin word meaning rain cloud or rain storm. The prefix nimbo- or the suffix -nimbus indicates a precipitating cloud; for example, a nimbostratus cloud is a precipitating stratus cloud, and a cumulonimbus cloud is a precipitating cumulus cloud.

References

↑ "Nimbus Clouds". Buzzle.com. Retrieved 8 April 2012.

External links

"Cloud Types: common cloud classifications". WW2010. University of Illinois.

Cloud genera and selected species, supplementary features, and other airborne hydrometeors - WMO Latin terminology except where indicated

Extreme-level	Polar mesospheric cirriform type Noctilucent

Very high-level	Polar stratospheric cirriform type Nacreous

High-level	Tropospheric cirriform, stratiform, and stratocumuliform genera Cirrus (Ci) Cirrostratus (Cs) Cirrocumulus (Cc) General type (non-WMO terminology) Aviaticus cloud (Contrail)

Medium-level	Tropospheric stratiform and stratocumuliform genera Altostratus (As) Altocumulus (Ac) Stratocumuliform species Altocumulus castellanus (Ac cas)

Low-level	Tropospheric stratiform, stratocumuliform and cumuliform genera Stratus (St) Stratocumulus (Sc) Cumulus (Cu) Stratiform and cumuliform species Fractus Cumulus humilis (Cu hum) Stratocumulus variants (non-WMO terminology) Actinoform cloud Undulatus asperatus

Moderate vertical	Tropospheric stratiform and cumuliform genera Nimbostratus (Ns) Cumulus (Cu) Cumuliform species Cumulus mediocris (Cu med) Cumuliform supplementary features Cumulus Pileus Cumulus Arcus (Roll)

Towering vertical	Tropospheric cumulonimbiform genus Cumulonimbus (Cb) Cumuliform species Cumulus congestus (ICAO term Towering cumulus [Tcu]) Cumuliform and cumulonimbiform supplementary features mamma Tuba (Funnel cloud) Pileus Arcus (Shelf) Cumuliform and cumulonimbiform variants (non-WMO terminology) Wall cloud Pyrocumulus Pyrocumulonimbus Cumulonimbus Overshooting top Hot tower

Surface based	General type Fog

Non-height specific	General types Accessory cloud Kelvin-Helmholtz cloud

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Nimbus cloud

Etymology

References

Further reading

External links