Fifth Grade
Worksheets
Thunderheads
A thunderstorm is just what its name says it is: a storm with thunder (and lightning). It forms in cumulonimbus clouds. These kinds of clouds are very tall. They have vertical development. They rise like towers or tall buildings. They have large, anvil-shaped tops. These clouds are often called thunderheads. About 1,800 thunderstorms happen each day somewhere on Earth.
Clouds are usually white at the top where the sun illuminates them. The bottom of the cloud is blocked from the sun's direct light. That's why the bottoms of clouds usually look gray instead of white. A thunderhead is usually very dark at the bottom. The cloud is so thick that little light can reach the bottom of it.
