<P> Cumulus supplementary features are most commonly seen with the species congestus . Cumulus virga clouds are cumulus clouds producing virga (precipitation that evaporates while aloft), and cumulus praecipitatio produce precipitation that reaches the Earth's surface . Cumulus pannus comprise shredded clouds that normally appear beneath the parent cumulus cloud during precipitation . Cumulus arcus clouds have a gust front, and cumulus tuba clouds have funnel clouds or tornadoes . Cumulus pileus clouds refer to cumulus clouds that have grown so rapidly as to force the formation of pileus over the top of the cloud . Cumulus velum clouds have an ice crystal veil over the growing top of the cloud . </P> <P> Cumulus humilis clouds usually indicate fair weather . Cumulus mediocris clouds are similar, except that they have some vertical development, which implies that they can grow into cumulus congestus or even cumulonimbus clouds, which can produce heavy rain, lightning, severe winds, hail, and even tornadoes . Cumulus congestus clouds, which appear as towers, will often grow into cumulonimbus storm clouds . They can produce precipitation . Glider pilots often pay close attention to cumulus clouds, as they can be indicators of rising air drafts or thermals underneath that can suck the plane high into the sky--a phenomenon known as cloud suck . </P> <P> Due to reflectivity, clouds cool the earth by around 12 ° C (22 ° F), an effect largely caused by stratocumulus clouds . However, at the same time, they heat the earth by around 7 ° C (13 ° F) by reflecting emitted radiation, an effect largely caused by cirrus clouds . This averages out to a net loss of 5 ° C (9.0 ° F). Cumulus clouds, on the other hand, have a variable effect on heating the earth's surface . The more vertical cumulus congestus species and cumulonimbus genus of clouds grow high into the atmosphere, carrying moisture with them, which can lead to the formation of cirrus clouds . The researchers speculated that this might even produce a positive feedback, where the increasing upper atmospheric moisture further warms the earth, resulting in an increasing number of cumulus congestus clouds carrying more moisture into the upper atmosphere . </P> <P> Cumulus clouds are a genus of free - convective low - level cloud along with the related limited - convective cloud stratocumulus . These clouds form from ground level to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) at all latitudes . Stratus clouds are also low - level . In the middle level are the alto - clouds, which consist of the limiited - convective stratocumuliform cloud altocumulus and the stratiform cloud altostratus . Mid-level clouds form from 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) to 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) in polar areas, 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) in temperate areas, and 7,600 metres (24,900 ft) in tropical areas . The high - level cloud, cirrocumulus, is a stratocumuliform cloud of limited convection . The other clouds in this level are cirrus and cirrostratus . High clouds form 3,000 to 7,600 metres (9,800 to 24,900 ft) in high latitudes, 5,000 to 12,000 metres (16,000 to 39,000 ft) in temperate latitudes, and 6,100 to 18,000 metres (20,000 to 59,100 ft) in low, tropical latitudes . Cumulonimbus clouds, like cumulus congestus, extend vertically rather than remaining confined to one level . </P>

Where are cumulus clouds found in the atmosphere