2006-06-19 08:44:30 · 7 answers · asked by barryinindy 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
Thunderstorms clouds appear dark because the light from the sun is not making it through the clouds and to our eyes. The millions of tiny water droplets in the cloud help scatter, reflect, and absorb the sun's light as it travels down to earth. From space these clouds look very bright because they are reflecting and scattering lots of light, but from the ground it will appear very very dark.
2006-06-19 09:03:55 · answer #1 · answered by melissa 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All a cloud is is a collection of condensed moisture locked around a “nucleation particle” (a microscopic speck of dust floating high in the atmosphere).
This large collection of water has the same effect as both a prism, and smoke. The water latched onto these bits of dust reflect and refract the light off in odd angles, and the tiny speck blocks light that manages to hit straight through.
As the amount of water in a cloud increases, so does this reflection/refraction/cancellation effect. And oddly enough, when the level of water in a cloud increases high enough the nucleation particles can’t keep it suspended and the water falls to the ground as rain.
2006-06-19 10:53:22 · answer #2 · answered by boter_99 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually really becoming "severe" they must have both moisture in the clouds and in the air. Which I guess you could call clouds but the fact is that from where your perception of the storm is that and from how you would describe "dark" it can all depend on your opinion. Then the rest is on the thickness of the clouds and how much moisture is in them.
2006-06-19 10:46:12 · answer #3 · answered by coolsonh 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Severe storms have cloud tops that reach high altitudes and have wide cloud bases. Because of this wide area, sunlight has to travel through more particles to get to your eyes. These particles reflect, scatter and absorb light, which makes the severe storms appear dark because there is a lower amount of light being transmitted through the cloud.
2006-06-19 09:43:05 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cloud brightness is a function of size and particle density given a constant illumination source. So with a severe thunderstorm, the size is much larger than just 'overcast', and the density of particles is much higher than in the regular clouds.
2006-06-19 08:57:31 · answer #5 · answered by Karman V 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because the cloud becomes convective
2006-06-20 11:02:24 · answer #6 · answered by Corey D 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lots of moisture.
2006-06-19 08:47:52 · answer #7 · answered by kentata 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋