Puffy, cotton-like clouds with flat bases and rounded tops, formed by convective air currents rising from heated ground surfaces. These fair-weather clouds indicate stable atmospheric conditions when they remain small and scattered.
From Latin 'cumulus' meaning 'heap' or 'pile,' first used in meteorology by Luke Howard in 1803 when he created the modern cloud classification system. The term reflects the cloud's characteristic piled-up appearance.
Cumulus clouds are nature's mood rings for the atmosphere! Their size and behavior tell us exactly what's happening with air currents - small cumulus means gentle heating, but when they grow tall and dark, they're warning us that powerful thunderstorms are brewing.
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