How high is a cumulonimbus cloud?

39,000 feet
Fueled by vigorous convective updrafts (sometimes in excess 50 knots), the tops of cumulonimbus clouds can easily reach 39,000 feet (12,000 meters) or higher.

What is the highest height of a cloud?

Level	Cloud	Tropical region
High	Cirrus Cirrocumulus Cirrostratus	20 000 – 60 000 ft
Middle	Altocumulus Altostratus Nimbostratus	6 500 – 25 000 ft
Low	Stratus Stratocumulus Cumulus Towering Cumulus Cumulonimbus	Surface – 6 500ft

What is the top of a cumulonimbus cloud called?

Cumulonimbus clouds have 3 distinct ‘species’ which describe the appearance of the head of the cloud:

• Cumulonimbus calvus – the top of the cumulonimbus is puffy, like a cumulus cloud.
• Cumulonimbus capillatus – the top of the cloud is fibrous but relatively contained.

What is the height of a cumulus cloud?

Cumulus cloud

Cumulus
Variety	Radiatuse
Altitude	200–2,000 m (1,000–7,000 ft)
Classification	Family C (Low-level)
Appearance	Low-altitude, fluffy heaps of clouds with cotton-like appearance.

How high are altostratus clouds?

Altostratus cloud
Variety	Duplicatus Opacus Radiatus Translucidus Undulatus
Altitude	2,000–7,000 m (7,000–23,000 ft)
Classification	Family B (Medium-level)
Appearance	Featureless, gray layer cloud full of vapor; capable of masking the sun

How is cloud height measured?

Find the difference between the surface temperature and the dew point. This value is known as the “spread”. Divide the spread by 4.4 (if temperatures are in °F) or 2.5 (if temperatures are in °C), then multiply by 1000. This will give the altitude of the cloud base in feet above ground level.

What are the highest clouds in the atmosphere?

The highest clouds in the atmosphere are noctilucent clouds. Best seen in the lower and higher latitudes, these beautiful, tenuous phenomena form at altitudes of around 80 km (50 miles), above 99.9\% of the atmosphere.

How do you identify a cumulonimbus cloud?

The character of the precipitation may help to distinguish Cumulonimbus from Nimbostratus. If the precipitation is of the showery type, or if it is accompanied by lightning, thunder or hail, the cloud is Cumulonimbus. Certain Cumulonimbus clouds appear nearly identical with Cumulus congestus.

What is the highest cloud in the atmosphere?

Noctilucent cloud

• Noctilucent clouds, or night shining clouds, are tenuous cloud-like phenomena in the upper atmosphere of Earth.
• They are the highest clouds in Earth’s atmosphere, located in the mesosphere at altitudes of around 76 to 85 km (249,000 to 279,000 ft).

Which cloud formation is classified as cumulonimbus quiz?

Answer: Cumulonimbus clouds begin as cumulus clouds, which grow and merge with other cells to form a cumulus congestus cloud extending into the atmosphere some 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) or more above Earth’s surface.