What is the meaning for the word cumulus?
Definition of cumulus 1 : heap, accumulation. 2 [New Latin, from Latin] : a dense puffy cloud form having a flat base and rounded outlines often piled up like a mountain — see cloud illustration.
How are cumulus clouds defined?
Cumulus clouds are detached, individual, cauliflower-shaped clouds usually spotted in fair weather conditions. The tops of these clouds are mostly brilliant white tufts when lit by the Sun, although their base is usually relatively dark.
Where does the word cumulus originate from?
This type of cloud is a cumulus cloud. It appears big, white, and puffy. The name comes from the Latin word cumulo, which means ‘piles. ‘ The word accumulate stems from this Latin root as well, and cumulus clouds form in a way that looks as though the cloud material has accumulated, or piled up.
What language is cumulus?
Latin
Mid 17th century (denoting a heap or an accumulation): from Latin, ‘heap’.
What does cumulonimbus mean in science?
The cumulonimbus cloud, or thunderstorm, is a convective cloud or cloud system that produces rainfall and lightning.
Do cumulus clouds bring rain?
Cumulus clouds are created by strong updrafts of warm, moist air. Most forms of heavy precipitation fall from cumulus clouds. The weather they bring depends on their height and size. … Clouds located close to the ground mean heavy snow or rain.
What are 3 facts about cumulus clouds?
Here are some more exciting facts about cumulus clouds: There are four cumulus species; congestus, fractus, humilis, and mediocris. A cumulus cloud can turn into the rain cloud formation, cumulonimbus. Cumulonimbus clouds can stretch to 12km long and hold millions of tons of rainwater.
What does cumulonimbus mean in Latin?
Cumulonimbus (from Latin cumulus, “heaped” and nimbus, “rainstorm”) is a dense, towering vertical cloud, forming from water vapor carried by powerful upward air currents.
What does cumulonimbus mean in geography?
Definition: Cumulonimbus clouds are huge storm clouds that can reach up to 30,000 feet or 9000 m in height. … These clouds will often produce thunder and lightning.
What is cumulonimbus for kids?
Lesson Summary. Cumulonimbus clouds are large, tall clouds that are dark on the bottom, bring thunderstorms, have a fuzzy outline toward the upper part of the cloud and may have a flat top called an anvil. Besides thunderstorms, these clouds can bring hail, tornadoes and snow, and they also form during hurricanes.
Why do clouds turn GREY before it rains?
The tiny water droplets and ice crystals in clouds are just the right size to scatter all colors of light, compared with the smaller molecules of air that scatter blue light most effectively. … As their thickness increases, the bottoms of clouds look darker but still scatter all colors. We perceive this as gray.
What does a black cloud mean?
A: Very dark looking or black clouds are probably those that contain a lot of rain in them and part of a thunderstorm, McRoberts adds. “In general, the severity of a storm is related to cloud height, which is why dark clouds are usually an indicator of bad weather.
What does nimbus mean in clouds?
Definition of nimbus 1a : a luminous vapor, cloud, or atmosphere about a god or goddess when on earth. b : a cloud or atmosphere (as of romance) about a person or thing. 2 : an indication (such as a circle) of radiant light or glory about the head of a drawn or sculptured divinity, saint, or sovereign. 3a : a rain …
How would you describe cumulonimbus?
Cumulonimbus clouds are menacing looking multi-level clouds, extending high into the sky in towers or plumes. More commonly known as thunderclouds, cumulonimbus is the only cloud type that can produce hail, thunder and lightning.
What’s the difference between cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds?
Cumulus clouds are puffy clouds that sometimes look like pieces of floating cotton. … Cumulonimbus clouds are thunderstorm clouds that form if cumulus congestus clouds continue to grow vertically. Their dark bases may be no more than 300 m (1000 ft) above the Earth’s surface.
Why do cumulonimbus clouds bring rain?
The water droplets at the top of the cloud tower have not frozen to become ice crystals. Cumulonimbus capillatus – the top of the cloud is fibrous but relatively contained. Water droplets have started to freeze, usually indicating rain has begun or will begin soon.
Do altostratus clouds rain?
Altostratus clouds are “strato” type clouds (see below) that possess a flat and uniform type texture in the mid levels. … However, altostratus clouds themselves do not produce significant precipitation at the surface, although sprinkles or occasionally light showers may occur from a thick alto- stratus deck.
Why are clouds pink?
When the sky is moving in, or when it’s already snowing, the light that bounces off the atmospheric particles and the clouds is scattered, which leaves us to see longer wavelengths. When it begins to snow, the same light reflects off all the various snowflakes, which gives the sky a pink hue, hence pink clouds.