Vertical Height Clouds

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Clouds of vertical height transcend all three levels of the troposphere. These clouds often start off as cumulus clouds and as the day progresses continue to obtain moisture. The updrafts of convection heat with moisture cause cumulus clouds to swell into swelling cumulus.

 These swelling cumulus eventually reach the top of the troposphere and with a combination of the temperature barrier and the jet stream flatten out the top of the cloud into a anvil head shape. once the cloud reaches this state it is called a cumulonimbus cloud.

 Cumulonimbus clouds are thunderstorm clouds and drop large amounts of rain, hail and wind over a short period of time. Tornadoes are created in super cell cumulonimbus clouds.