On the back of my house, cloudformations and the setting sun provided quite the show... a bright sundog appeared in the cirrusclouds...



In the front of my house, a whole different story... this peculiar lookin beasty floated by... it had countles of streaky bits going up... it just kept evolving and evolving...



To finnaly form mammatus-clouds! Now that I've never seen before... The hanging lobs of this cloudform are visible in the middle, slightly to the left. They are connected to severe storms... glad this one just passed by, without causing trouble...



Pilots are urged to stay away from these clouds... The sure look scary and beautifull at once...

Cheers,

Omag

Good morning Kris.  

Here is a little information you might find interesting:

Cloud Types
common cloud classifications
Clouds are classified into a system that uses Latin words to describe the appearance of clouds as seen by an observer on the ground. The table below summarizes the four principal components of this classification system (Ahrens, 1994).

Latin Root                              Translation                          Example
Cumulus                                Heap                                   Fair Weather Cumulus
Stratus                                  Layer                                  Altostratus
Cirrus                                   Curl of Hair                          Cirrus
Nimbus                                 Rain                                    Cumulonimbus

Further classification identifies clouds by height of cloud base. For example, cloud names containing the prefix "cirr-", as in cirrus clouds, are located at high levels while cloud names with the prefix "alto-", as in altostratus, are found at middle levels. This module introduces several cloud groups. The first three groups are identified based upon their height above the ground. The fourth group consists of vertically developed clouds, while the final group consists of a collection of miscellaneous cloud types.

  High-Level Clouds
High-level clouds form above 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) and since the temperatures are so cold at such high elevations, these clouds are primarily composed of ice crystals. High-level clouds are typically thin and white in appearance, but can appear in a magnificent array of colors when the sun is low on the horizon.



Mid-Level Clouds
The bases of mid-level clouds typically appear between 6,500 to 20,000 feet (2,000 to 6,000 meters). Because of their lower altitudes, they are composed primarily of water droplets, however, they can also be composed of ice crystals when temperatures are cold enough.


Low-level Clouds
Low clouds are of mostly composed of water droplets since their bases generally lie below 6,500 feet (2,000 meters). However, when temperatures are cold enough, these clouds may also contain ice particles and snow.


Vertically Developed Clouds
Probably the most familiar of the classified clouds is the cumulus cloud. Generated most commonly through either thermal convection or frontal lifting, these clouds can grow to heights in excess of 39,000 feet (12,000 meters), releasing incredible amounts of energy through the condensation of water vapor within the cloud itself.


Other Cloud Types
Finally, we will introduce a collection of miscellaneous cloud types which do not fit into the previous four groups.


High-Level Clouds
Cloud types include: cirrus and cirrostratus.

Mid-Level Clouds
Cloud types include: altocumulus, altostratus.

Low-Level Clouds
Cloud types include: nimbostratus and stratocumulus.

Clouds with Vertical Development
Cloud types include: fair weather cumulus and cumulonimbus.

Other Cloud Types
Cloud types include: contrails, billow clouds, mammatus, orographic and pileus clouds.


Hope you found this information interesting Kris...Meterorology is a wonderful science.  

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

So Doug, in Latin is Cumulonimbus "Heaps of rain" ?

On topic, lovely photos Kris.  

Good morning all:  


Cumulonimbus clouds are thunderstorm clouds. High winds can flatten the top of the cloud into an anvil-like shape. Cumulonimbus clouds are associated with heavy rain, snow, hail, lightning and even tornadoes. The anvil usually points in the direction the storm is moving.


Cumulonimbus
(Cb) Latin cumulus - to heap, nimbus - violent rain
Commonly known as thunderstorms. These clouds can produce heavy rain, hail, strong winds and lightning. Several variations of the cumulonimbus are the incus (anvil), which has a well-formed anvil of cirriform cloud. Calvus (bald), which lacks the anvil. Often this is when the storm is still in the developing stage. Cappilatus (hairlike, having hair) in which the anvil takes on a fibrous or striated structure.

Cumulus
(Cu) Latin - to heap
Detached clouds, generally dense and with sharp outlines, showing vertical development in the form of domes, mounds, or towers. Tops normally are rounded while bases are more horizontal. Cumulus humilus are cumulus clouds with little vertcal development. Cumulus mediocris show slightly more vertical development, but indicate fair weather, giving them the name fair weather cumulus. See also Cumulonimbus, Cumulus congestus, Towering cumulus.

Cumulus congestus
(CuCg, or Cu2) Latin congerere - to pile up
A large cumulus cloud with great vertical development, usually with a cauliflower-like appearance, but lacking the characteristic anvil of a Cb. Same as towering cumulus. Another name used in Australia is Cj, but this is a slang term.

So to answer your question "Heaps of Rain"...yes would be the answer.  

There are lots of web sites to check out meteorology (The earth science dealing with phenomena of the atmosphere (especially weather) and just as many sites about the different types of clouds.

More and more people in the Armed Forces and the Civil Transportation Industry are becoming more versed or knowledgeable with the study of meteorology as it effects their equipment and their daily operations.

As an Aviator I am concerned only with two types of clouds.  
(1) The white puffy wuffy...not to hard on bugsmashers
(2) The black puffy wuffy...very bad for bugsmashers

To me we make things too complicated, it actually turns people away from the subject of meteorology, so why not have just two cloud types?  
White puffy wuffies and black puffy wuffies.       LMAO

Sorry to hijack your thread Kris...

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug