© Stephen Burt
Montreux, Switzerland
Latitude: 46° 25' 18'' N
Longitude: 6° 55' 25'' E
29 May 2014 0932 (Local Time)
Camera direction: towards NW
Image P/S code: P.9.0
Image I.D.: 5112
CL = 4, CM = 0, CH = 0
Cumulus congestus developing over the Swiss Alps behind Montreux and along the shores of Lake Geneva, Switzerland. Showers of rain occurred over the southern and eastern shores of the lake; one brief shower of large rain drops was observed in Montreux at 1430 hours local time.
The genus is identified as Cumulus as the clouds are detached and dense; have sharp outlines except in a few areas where evaporation is occurring; are developing vertically in the form of towers; have upper parts that are starting to resemble a cauliflower; have very white sunlit parts; and have relatively dark, flat bases.
The species is congestus as the cells are starting to show strong growth in their vertical development, with more than the small protuberances and sproutings of mediocris. Most of the cells in the foreground are sheared (leaning) downwind due to the wind profile; this is more obvious in the cells with greater vertical extent.
Cumulus mediocris, humilis and fractus are also present, as is some Stratocumulus formed from the spreading of Cumulus.
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A weak and rather cool, unstable north to north-easterly flow covered central Europe between shallow low pressure areas over southern England, UK and the Greek islands. Cumulus built during the sunny but cool days and heavy showers fell over the mountains, but the Cumulus was of insufficient vertical extent to produce showers over Lake Geneva, Switzerland.
Sounding from 45 km north-north-east, 4.5 hours later – unstable to 1 500 m, with conditional instability above
The EUMETSAT channel 13 IR image shows clear skies over Lake Geneva, Switzerland and large Cumulus in a north-east to south-west line over Montreux. There is Cumulus developing between Vevey and Lausanne, and a distant line of large Cumulus over the Jura Mountains.