Cumulonimbus clouds: The magnificent menace in the sky

Meteorologist Philippa Drew takes a closer look at one of her favourite clouds and shares some of your dramatic pictures…

I love seeing cumulonimbus clouds, not only because they are an impressive sight, but because inevitably it means some pretty dramatic weather is nearby!

Cumulonimbus clouds are the biggest clouds in the atmosphere, some growing taller than Mount Everest, no wonder they’re known as ‘The King Of Clouds’.

The name comes from the Latin words ‘cumulus’ - meaning heap, and ‘nimbus’ - meaning rain.

These clouds are mainly formed through convection, when the air is heated from the surface below, causing it to rise and condense into droplets. The more heat and moisture, the bigger the clouds. Cumulonimbus clouds can grow so tall that they hit the top of the troposphere. At this point they are forced to spread outwards, creating the infamous anvil shape.

The weather they bring is as varied as it is dramatic, thunder and lightning, hail, torrential downpours, gusty winds and even tornadoes to name a few, potentially wreaking havoc along the way.

Here’s to the magnificent menace in the sky…

Tips for taking weather pictures

• When taking a picture to be used on one of our weather forecasts, don't forget to make them landscape - rather than portrait - as this fits the screen better;

• Also, remember that the weather presenters stand on the left-hand side of the screen, so worth taking note of this when trying to capture that perfect picture to send into us;

• It's also great if you can tell us where the picture was taken and the name you would like us to credit the picture with.

• By sending your pictures to us, you agree for us to use them in our weather forecasts to be broadcast on television and online (though the copyright will remain with you at all times, and you will be credited)