NORFOLK, Va. — Spotting a cumulus cloud is pretty easy. The clouds resemble pieces of cotton candy, but why are cumulus clouds fluffy and not flat? To fully understand why, we need to start with ...

Cumulus clouds have been known to disappear once about 15% of the Sun has been covered, and they don’t come back until the eclipse is over.

There are 10 main cloud types, including the fluffy-looking cumulus clouds seen here. Image: AKARADECH MARK II / Getty Images ...

If a cloud were exactly 1 km cubed in volume, there would be enough water molecules inside a cloud to add up to more than 1.1 million pounds. And that’s just water weight.

A cumulus cloud that shows "significant vertical development" but has yet to form a thunderstorm is known as cumulus congestus (or towering cumulus), the NWS says.

Weather officials say different types of clouds can tell you what kind of weather to expect. Here's a look at the different types.

Cumulus clouds will then continue to grow vertically with parts of the cloud bulging upwards due to thermals (caused by unequal heating of the ground).

Cumulus clouds are white, puffy clouds that look like pieces of floating cotton and are often called "fair-weather clouds".

The weather service has said on social media that it’s possible if stratus clouds form, they can break up into cumulus clouds in the afternoon, which may allow for some viewability.

If a cloud were exactly 1 km cubed in volume, there would be enough water molecules inside a cloud to add up to more than 1.1 million pounds. And that’s just water weight. Cumulus clouds laden ...