Cumulus congestus cloud
| Cumulus congestus | |
|---|---|
Cumulus congestus clouds looming over the horizon, as seen from Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia | |
| Abbreviation | Cu con |
| Symbol | |
| Genus | Cumulus ("heaped") |
| Species | Congestus ("piled up") |
| Variety |
|
| Altitude | Up to 6,000 m (Up to 20,000 ft) |
| Classification | Family D (Vertically developed) |
| Appearance | Low-altitude, vertical, taller than it is wide, fluffy heaps of clouds with cotton-like appearance. |
| Precipitation | Rain, snow, or snow pellets. |
Cumulus congestus or towering cumulus clouds are a species of cumulus that can be based in the low- to middle-height ranges. They achieve considerable vertical development in areas of deep, moist convection. They are an intermediate stage between cumulus mediocris and cumulonimbus, sometimes producing rainshowers, snow, or ice pellets. Precipitation that evaporates before reaching the surface is virga.