Cumulonimbus incus
A cumulonimbus incus, also called an anvil cloud, is a cumulonimbus cloud that has reached the level of stratospheric stability and has formed the characteristic flat, anvil-shaped top. It signifies a thunderstorm in its mature stage, succeeding the cumulonimbus calvus stage. Cumulonimbus incus is a subtype of cumulonimbus capillatus. These clouds are commonly associated with severe weather, including heavy rain, downbursts, and occasionally a tornado.
Hazards
A cumulonimbus incus is a mature thunderstorm cloud generating many dangerous elements.- Lightning: this storm cloud is capable of producing bursts of cloud-to-ground lightning.
- Hail: hailstones may fall from this cloud if it is a highly unstable environment.
- Heavy rain: this cloud may drop several inches of rain in a short amount of time. This can cause flash flooding.
- Strong wind: gale-force winds from a downburst may occur under this cloud.
- Tornadoes: in severe cases, it can produce tornadoes. They are not directly produced by cumulonimbus incus but rather produced by supercells which come from cumulonimbus incus.