Cumulus cloud

Cumulus clouds are white clouds that are dense and large. They are known to look like cauliflower. Mostly, cumulus clouds have flat bottoms but the tops are always changing shape.

A Cumulus cloud forming into an anvil shape.

Seeing a cumulus cloud means that the air is well mixed by up and down vertical drafts. When a cumulus cloud grows into a thunderstorm, the cloud is called a cumulonimbus cloud. This is a sign that the air is rising to the stratosphere.

Other websites

• AMS Glossary of Meteorology
• Cumulus cloud at BBC Weather Archived 2008-03-25 at the Wayback Machine
• Cumulus cloud page at University of Richmond internal site Archived 2009-05-27 at the Wayback Machine
• Time-lapse of the formation of Cumulus clouds