What Are Nimbus Clouds?
Nimbus clouds are cloud types that can indicate some type of precipitation. The word “nimbus” comes from the Latin language and stands for rain. There are two different types of nimbus clouds that indicate the type of precipitation.
These cloud types are nimbostratus and cumulonimbus. The nimbostratus clouds are at a lower altitude and precipitation produced by these clouds is a rainy drizzle. In appearance, nimbostratus clouds are gray.
Cumulonimbus clouds bring heavy precipitation combined with lightning and thunder. These clouds are massive in size, ranging from 600 to 18,000 meters.
Clouds are usually classified by their appearance and altitude. Stratus clouds are low clouds, while alto clouds are middle-altitude clouds. The highest clouds in the atmosphere are cirrus clouds.