Cumulonimbus incus

Cumulonimbus Incus
Cumulonimbus Incus
Abbreviation	Cb inc.
Genus	Cumulonimbus (heap, cloud/severe rain)
Species	Capillatus (fibrous)
Classification	Family D (Vertically developed)
Appearance	Large flat-top cloud
Precipitation cloud?	Yes, often intense

A cumulonimbus incus (Latin incus, "anvil") also known as an anvil cloud is a cumulonimbus cloud which has reached the level of stratospheric stability and has formed the characteristic flat, anvil-top shape. A cumulonimbus incus means that the thunderstorm is in its mature stage, succeeding the preceding cumulonimbus calvus stage. Cumulonimbus capillatus is a sub-form of cumulonimbus incus.

Hazards

A cumulonimbus incus is a mature thunderstorm cloud and it can produce many dangerous elements.

Lightning; this storm cloud is capable of producing bursts of cloud to ground lightning.
Hail; hailstones may fall from this cloud if it is in a highly unstable environment (which favors a more vigorous storm updraft).
Heavy rain; the cloud may drop several inches of rain in a short amount of time. This can cause flash flooding
Strong wind; gale-force winds from a downburst may occur under this cloud.
Tornadoes; in severe cases (most commonly with supercells), it can produce tornadoes.

Classification

Cumulonimbus clouds can be powerful. If the correct atmospheric conditions are met, they can grow into a supercell storm. This cloud may be a single-cell thunderstorm or one cell in a multicellular thunderstorm. They are capable of producing severe storm conditions for a short amount of time.

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 Asperitas

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 Cumulonimbuus Overshooting top Hot tower

Surface based	General type Fog

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

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