Anvil Cloud Above Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil

April 28, 2014

IMG_3553

Photographer: Jairo Amaral
Summary Authors: Jairo Amaral; Jim Foster

The photo above shows an interesting cumulonimbus cloud towering above Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil. It was taken just before sunset early in March this year -- the camera is facing east. The relatively small size of this immature storm suggests that strong updrafts/downdrafts likely haven't developed. However, the anvil shape indicates that the storm has bumped against the tropopause -- the boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere. Particularly noteworthy is the extended flattening of the storm top.

If you look closely, you can detect anticrepuscular rays just to the right (south) of the thunderhead. These rays fan out from the antisolar point. Click here to see an animation of this cloud.

Photo details: Camera Model: Canon EOS 60D; Lens: EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II; Focal Length: 32mm; Aperture: f/4.5 ; Exposure Time: 0.0002 s (1/5000); ISO equiv: 1600.