#storm structure

Clouds:

A very basic rundown of clouds are as follows:

(Source: Cloud Types | UCAR Center for Science Education)

Stratus, cumulus, and stratocumulus are your low level clouds. 

Stratus clouds are low-level clouds characterized by horizontal layering with a uniform base. More specifically, the term stratus is used to describe flat, hazy, featureless clouds of low altitude varying in color from dark gray to nearly white.

This is probably the best example of stratus clouds based on @jocarthage‘s photos.

Cumulus are cumuliform clouds with little vertical extent, common in the summer, that are often referred to as "fair weather cumulus".

A photo from my personal collection. This budding cumulus cloud went on to spawn a tornado about an hour later, but I’ll get to that when I start talking about storm structure.

A stratocumulus cloud belongs to a genus-type of clouds characterized by large dark, rounded masses, usually in groups, lines, or waves, the individual elements being larger than those in altocumulus, and the whole being at a lower height, usually below 2,000 metres (6,600 ft).

Another one of @jocarthage‘s photos. This one actually has some other cloud types in it, one’s that I’ll talk about soon.

Your mid-level clouds consist of altostratus and altocumulus.

Altostratus is a middle altitude cloud genus belonging to the stratiform physical category characterized by a generally uniform gray to bluish-green sheet or layer.

This one I found on Wikipedia because I don’t personally have a good one.

Altocumulus is a middle-altitude cloud genus that belongs mainly to the stratocumuliform physical category characterized by globular masses or rolls in layers or patches, the individual elements being larger and darker than those of cirrocumulus and smaller than those of stratocumulus.

One of my personal favorites because I took this after the Perseid meteor shower in 2012 around 5:30AM.

High-level clouds consist of cirrus and cirrocumulus. There are more, but I’m just going with what’s on the diagram.

Cirrus is a genus of atmospheric cloud generally characterized by thin, wispy strands, giving the type its name from the Latin word cirrus, meaning a ringlet or curling lock of hair.

A great photo from @jocarthage that’s not only got cirrus, but a bunch of other cloud types as well.

Cirrocumulus is a cloud of the stratocumuliform physical category that shows both stratiform and cumuliform characteristics and typically appears as white, patchy sheets with ripples or tufts without gray shading.

Another one from Wikipedia because even in my extensive library, I have yet to actually photograph these types of clouds.

And finally, cumulonimbus is a dense, towering vertical cloud, forming from water vapor carried by powerful upward air currents.

A pano of a developing cumulonimbus cloud taken from my iPhone.

Wikipedia has a list of cloud types that is far more detailed that what I’ve shown you, so if you’re really interested, go check it out. There are far more cloud types out there than what I described above. 

Storm Structure:

Let’s start with a diagram, shall we?

And now for an actual photo:

It doesn’t exactly have all the elements from the diagram, but that’s because I’m about 40 miles away. BTW, this is a great example of an anvil cloud along with the flanking line.

I haven’t yet captured an overshooting top, but here’s a photo from NOAA (sourced from Wikipedia), where you see it clearly above the anvil.

One of my favorite photos of mammatus I’ve ever taken.

Some incredible cloud base striations along with lightning.

A very nice precipitation free base.

Just a single variation of a wall cloud. There are so many more, but this happens to be my favorite.

This is just an epic shelf cloud pano.

And, of course, a tornado, just because.

For more information, let me point you to Wikipedia’s articles about Thunderstorms and Supercells. Again, there’s a much more detailed explanation on each, along with more information about structure.

Or, if you’re really inclined to learn about thunderstorms, do a free spotter training class.

NWS SKYWARN Storm Spotter Program

Just click on the link, click on Find a class in your area, select your state on the map, then select your region. Each region is setup differently. If you have trouble finding a class in your area, call your regional NWS office, and they’ll be able to help you.