Thunderstorm
Thunderstorm, rain cloud or clouds that produce thunder and lightning . Thunderstorms are very tall clouds that extend from near the ground up to, and often slightly above, the top of the troposphere , the bottom layer of the atmosphere. A thunderstorm has a characteristic cylindrical or slight hour-glass shape with a puffy, cauliflower texture. Clouds with this texture are called cumulus, and clouds that produce rain are called nimbus. Because thunderstorms are a combination of these two, they are called cumulonimbus clouds. Many thunderstorms develop an anvil-shaped top as the top is sheared by high-altitude wind. Severe thunderstorms can produce hail , strong winds, and tornadoes . Weak thunderstorms are called thundershowers. Some thundershowers are so weak that they produce virga, which is rain falling from the cloud that evaporates before reaching the ground.