Quick Facts
- Type
- Cloud Type
- Definition
- A towering, anvil-shaped cloud associated with thunderstorms
- Used By
- Pilots, Dispatchers
Definition#
Cumulonimbus (CB) is a dense, towering vertical cloud extending from low levels to the tropopause or beyond, associated with thunderstorms. It produces heavy rain, lightning, hail, severe turbulence, wind shear, and potentially tornadoes.
Why It Matters Operationally#
Pilots are trained to avoid cumulonimbus by at least 20 nautical miles laterally. METARs encode CB presence, and SIGMETs may be issued for embedded or squall-line CB activity.
Related Guides#
- Aviation Weather Explained — The Complete Operational Guide
- What Is Turbulence?
- Air Masses & Fronts in Aviation
- Aircraft Icing Explained
- How to Read a METAR