Thunder clouds showing anvil formation. Thunderclouds are large and turbulent clouds carrying rain or hail. As the clouds grows it forms rising spikes

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Thunder clouds showing anvil formation. Thunderclouds are large and turbulent clouds carrying rain or hail. As the clouds grows it forms rising spikes that create a flattened anvil- shaped top (as shown here) as they hit a layer in the atmosphere called the tropopause. The resulting structure is known as a hammerhead or thunderhead and is a clear sign of an impending thunderstorm.

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Size: 5400px × 2700px
Photo credit: © KAJ R. SVENSSON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: anvil, atmosphere, climate, cloud, clouds, cumulonimbus, formation, forming, gathering, hammerhead, meteorological, meteorology, multiple, rain, sky, thunder, thunderhead, thunderstorm, tropopause, weather, wisp