Nimbostratus

Nimbostratus
Photo taken in September 2001 by Robert Sepulveda at Menchville High School, Newport News, VA. This picture was taken form a roof top location on the high school. Notice the puddles, which help illustrate that it was raining at the time. This detail is important because the fact that it is raining is what make these clouds nimbostratus rather than just stratus clouds.

Nimbostratus
Photo taken in September 2001 by Robert Sepulveda at Menchville High School, Newport News, VA. Again notice the puddles, which help to illustrate that it is raining. Remember, the "nimbo" in nimbostratus implies rain.

Snowing Nimbostratus
Photo taken by Lin Chambers at NASA Langley on February 27, 2002 during a late-season snow. Note the extremely uniform and featureless nimbostratus cloud which is dropping snow on the ground. Nimbostratus clouds are very difficult to photograph, because they are very uniform and offer little contrast. Generally nimbostratus clouds form rain, but snow is somewhat more photogenic.

Nimbostratus
Photo taken by Doug Stoddard in March 2002. The Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico under what looks like it could be a pretty good thunderstorm. However, Doug reported that it was a steady, drizzling rain; not a storm. Thus, nimbostratus.

Nimbostratus in Taiwan
Low nimbostratus with rain shafts visible in the background and wet pavement indicative of rain in the foreground. Photo from Taipei Municipal First Girls' Senior HS, Taipei, Taiwan. 1st place in April 2003 S'COOL cloud photo contest.

Nimbostratus in West Virginia
One of the best shots of nimbostratus (a challenging cloud to photograph) in the bunch. Photo from Tucker Valley Elementary Middle School, Hambleton, West Virginia. 2nd place in April 2003 S'COOL cloud photo contest.

Nimbostratus in Minnesota
Low clouds with low-hanging cloud fragments (scud?) beneath. These low-hanging clouds are characteristic of nimbostratus in rain events. Photo from Pequot Lakes Elementary School, Pequot Lakes, Minnesota. 3rd place in April 2003 S'COOL cloud photo contest.

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		Nimbostratus Photo taken in September 2001 by Robert Sepulveda at Menchville High School, Newport News, VA. This picture was taken form a roof top location on the high school. Notice the puddles, which help illustrate that it was raining at the time. This detail is important because the fact that it is raining is what make these clouds nimbostratus rather than just stratus clouds.

		Nimbostratus Photo taken in September 2001 by Robert Sepulveda at Menchville High School, Newport News, VA. Again notice the puddles, which help to illustrate that it is raining. Remember, the "nimbo" in nimbostratus implies rain.

		Snowing Nimbostratus Photo taken by Lin Chambers at NASA Langley on February 27, 2002 during a late-season snow. Note the extremely uniform and featureless nimbostratus cloud which is dropping snow on the ground. Nimbostratus clouds are very difficult to photograph, because they are very uniform and offer little contrast. Generally nimbostratus clouds form rain, but snow is somewhat more photogenic.

		Nimbostratus Photo taken by Doug Stoddard in March 2002. The Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico under what looks like it could be a pretty good thunderstorm. However, Doug reported that it was a steady, drizzling rain; not a storm. Thus, nimbostratus.

		Nimbostratus in Taiwan Low nimbostratus with rain shafts visible in the background and wet pavement indicative of rain in the foreground. Photo from Taipei Municipal First Girls' Senior HS, Taipei, Taiwan. 1st place in April 2003 S'COOL cloud photo contest.

		Nimbostratus in West Virginia One of the best shots of nimbostratus (a challenging cloud to photograph) in the bunch. Photo from Tucker Valley Elementary Middle School, Hambleton, West Virginia. 2nd place in April 2003 S'COOL cloud photo contest.

		Nimbostratus in Minnesota Low clouds with low-hanging cloud fragments (scud?) beneath. These low-hanging clouds are characteristic of nimbostratus in rain events. Photo from Pequot Lakes Elementary School, Pequot Lakes, Minnesota. 3rd place in April 2003 S'COOL cloud photo contest.