Source: IE
Context: Pyrocumulonimbus clouds, formed during extremely hot wildfires or volcanic eruptions, are becoming more common due to rising global temperatures.
- These clouds develop when intense heat from a fire causes surrounding air, carrying water vapor, smoke, and ash, to rise rapidly into the atmosphere.
- As the air cools and condenses, a pyrocumulus cloud forms, which can evolve into a pyrocumulonimbus cloud if conditions are right.
- These towering clouds, which can reach heights of 50,000 feet, generate thunderstorms but little rain, potentially sparking new wildfires and spreading existing ones.
