What cloud form is often associated with thunderstorms and severe weather?

Cumulonimbus is a type of cloud that is prominently associated with thunderstorms and severe weather conditions. These towering clouds can reach great heights and are known for their anvil-shaped tops, which can extend into the stratosphere. Cumulonimbus clouds are formed through the process of convection, where warm, moist air rises rapidly, causing the water vapor to condense into the cloud.

The presence of a cumulonimbus cloud indicates significant atmospheric instability and can lead to intense storms with features such as heavy rain, lightning, hail, and even tornadoes. They are dynamic and can develop quickly in favorable conditions, making them a key indicator for meteorologists when assessing potential severe weather.

In contrast, other cloud types like cirrus are high-altitude clouds that are thin and wispy, stratus clouds form as flat layers covering the sky without significant vertical development, and nimbostratus are thick, gray clouds that produce steady precipitation but generally lack the severe thunderstorm characteristics of cumulonimbus. These differences highlight why cumulonimbus is specifically linked to severe weather phenomena.