Pyrocumulus, or fire cumulus, is a dense cumuliform cloud usually found at an altitude of 1500 m. This meteorological formation is actually rare. Cumulus of fair weather A cloud is a visible mass of condensed water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere above Earths (or another planetary bodys) surface. ... Cumulus clouds Meteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere that focuses on weather processes and forecasting. ...

Formation

As its etymology might suggest, pyrocumulus is produced by the heating of the air and the air convection it causes, often also in the presence of heavy moisture. Phenomena such as a volcanic eruption, forest fire or industrial activities can be at the origin of this cloud. Very little wind is required, so that water vapor released by the heat can form updrafts sufficiently high to reach condensation level, without dispersing into the ambient air. Etymology is the study of the origins of words. ... A red-hot iron rod cooling after being worked by a blacksmith. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Convection is the transfer of heat by the motion of or within a fluid. ... Moisture generally refers to the presence of water in trace amounts. ... This article is about volcanoes in geology. ... Eruption can refer to: Volcanic eruption The eruption of teeth through the gum Eruption (band) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Fire in San Bernardino, California Mountains (image taken from the International Space Station) A wildfire, also known as a forest fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, or bushfire (in Australasia), is an uncontrolled fire in wildland often caused by lightning; other common causes are human carelessness and arson. ... Condensation can refer to: The change in phase of a substance to a denser phase, such as gas to a liquid. ...

Appearance

Pyrocumulus is often greyish to brown in color, because of the ash and smoke associated with the fire. In size, the cloud is an enormous cumulus. It also tends to expand, because the smoke and the ash involved in the cloud's formation increase the amount of condensation nuclei. This actually poses a problem, as the cloud can trigger a thunderstorm and emit lightning, setting off new forest fires. Ash is: The solid residue left after something has burned, usually wood and plant material (such as tobacco). ... Smoke is a suspension in air of small particles resulting from incomplete combustion of a fuel. ... Condensation can refer to: The change in phase of a substance to a denser phase, such as gas to a liquid. ... Plural: nuclei In chemistry and physics, the nucleus (atomic nucleus) is the collection of protons and neutrons in the center of an atom that carries the bulk of the atoms mass and positive charge. ... A rolling thundercloud over Enschede, The Netherlands. ... Multiple cloud-to-ground and cloud-to-cloud lightning strokes are observed during a night-time thunderstorm. ...

Pyrocumulus can develop into a cumulonimbus in particularly instable conditions. Cumulonimbus cloud in central Oklahoma. ...