Below are a list of definitions that you may have read while looking at information or that you may have heard people talk about. Hopefully this will help clear things up for you.
Accessory Clouds
Clouds that are dependent on a larger cloud system for development and continuance. Accessory clouds associated with the thunderstorm include roll, shelf, mammatus, and wall clouds.
Anvil
The spreading of the upper portion of a cumulonimbus cloud into an anvil-shaped plume usually of fibrous or smooth appearance. Strong or severe thunderstorms often have thicker anvils with the side and bottom having a cumuliform or slowly boiling appearance in the immediate vicinity of the parent cumulonimbus.
Collar Cloud
Frequently used as a synonym for a wall cloud although it actually is a generally circular ring of cloud surrounding the upper portion of a wall cloud.
Cumulonimbus Cloud
The parent cloud of a thunderstorm. The cumulonimbus cloud towers above ordinary cumulus clouds, with stronger or severe storms often having a more sharply outlined "hard" appearance with relatively rapid rising motions visible. The cloud's upper portion includes the anvil. Accompanying precipitation is often heavy and the usual occurrences of lightning and thunder with these clouds leads to the popular names of thunderhead or thundercloud. See also Thunderstorm.
Cumulus Cloud
A column of rising air that has condensed into a dense, nonfibrous cloud with distinct outlines, appearing much like a rising mound, a dome, or cauliflower. The base of the cloud is relatively flat and dark, while the tower is usually white and sunlit. The cumulus cloud is the first stage of a developing thunderstorm, although most cumulus do not form thunderstorms.
Downdraft
A column of generally cool air that rapidly sinks to the ground, most often accompanied by precipitation in a shower or thunderstorm. Areas of downdraft usually contain little cloud, and what clouds that may be present are typically dissipating.
Flanking Line
A line of cumulus connected to and extending outward from the most active portion of a parent cumulonimbus, usually found on the southwest side of the storm. The cloud line has roughly a stair step appearance with the taller clouds adjacent to the parent cumulonimbus. It is most frequently associated with strong or severe thunderstorms.
Flash Flooding
Flooding that develops very quickly on streams and river tributaries usually as a result of thunderstorms. Sometimes the onset of flash flooding comes before the end of heavy rains. There is little time between the detection of flood conditions and the arrival of the flood crest. Swift action is essential to the protection of life and property.
Front
A transition zone between two differing air masses. Basic frontal types are (1) COLD FRONT where cooler air advances replacing warmer air; (2) WARM FRONT- warmer air advances replacing cooler air; (3) STATIONARY FRONT- warmer air meeting cooler air with neither air mass moving appreciably. Thunderstorms can form in association with any of these fronts. However, fronts are not necessary for thunderstorm development.
Funnel Cloud
A funnel-shaped cloud extending from a towering cumulus or cumulonimbus base. It is associated with a rotating air column that is not in contact with the ground. The cloud is a tornado if a ground-based debris or dust whirl is visible below the funnel aloft.
Gust Front
The leading edge of the thunderstorm downdraft air. The gust front is most prominent beneath the rain-free base and on the leading edge of an approaching thunderstorm. It is usually marked by gusty cool winds, and sometimes blowing dust. The gust front often precedes the thunderstorm precipitation by several minutes. The shelf or roll cloud sometimes accompanies the gust front, especially when the gust front precedes a line of thunderstorms.
Hail
Precipitation in the form of balls or clumps of ice, produced by thunderstorms. Severe storms with intense updrafts are the most likely large hail producers.
Hook Echo
A radar pattern sometimes observed in the southwest quadrant of a tornadic thunderstorm. Appearing like the number six or a fishhook turned in toward the east, the hook echo is precipitation aloft around the periphery of a rotating column of air 2-10 miles in diameter. The hook echo is often found in a local area favorable for tornado development. However, many tornadoes occur without a hook echo and not all hook echoes produce tornadoes.
Lightning
Any and all of the various forms of visible electrical discharge caused by thunderstorms. Severe thunderstorms usually have very frequent and sometimes nearly continuous lightning. However, some non-severe thunderstorms also contain frequent and vivid electrical displays, while some severe storms are accompanied by little lightning.
Mamma Clouds
Also called mammatus, these clouds appear as hanging, rounded protuberances or pouches on the under surface of a cloud. With thunderstorms, mammatus are seen on the underside of the anvil. These clouds do not produce tornadoes, funnels, hail, or any other type of severe weather, although they often accompany severe thunderstorms.
Precipitation Shaft
A visible column of rain and/or hail falling from a cloud base. When viewed against a light background, heavy precipitation appears very dark gray, sometimes with a turquoise tinge. This turquoise tinge has been commonly attributed to hail but its actual cause is unknown.
Rain-Free Base
A horizontal, dark cumulonimbus base that has no visible precipitation beneath it. This structure usually marks the location of the thunderstorm updraft. Tornadoes most commonly develop (1) from wall clouds that are attached to the rain-free base, or (2) from the rain-free base itself. This is particularly true when the rain-free base is observed to the south or southwest of the precipitation shaft.
River Flood
Usually occurs on rivers, after flash flooding has occurred on streams and tributaries. River floods develop and reach their peak more slowly than flash floods. In many cases the river flood peak occurs after the rain has ended.
Roll Cloud
A relatively rare, low-level, horizontal, tube-shaped accessory cloud completely detached from the cumulonimbus base. When present, it is located along the gust front and most frequently observed on the leading edge of a line of thunderstorms. The roll cloud will appear to be slowly "rolling" about its horizontal axis. Roll clouds are not and do not produce tornadoes.
Scud Clouds
Low cloud fragments often seen in association with and behind thunderstorm gust fronts. These clouds are ragged and wind torn and are not usually attached to the thunderstorm base. Scud clouds do not produce severe weather. In some cases, when scud clouds are attached to the thunderstorm base they can be mistaken for wall clouds or tornadoes.
Severe Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm that goes from the mature stage to the severe stage before dissipating. Severe thunderstorms are most efficient "machines" because the updraft remains strong for a long time. They also occasionally contain rotations on a broad scale. Because of its structure, the severe storm may last for hours beyond the lifetime of a normal thunderstorm while producing large hail, high winds, torrential rain, and possible tornadoes. Officially, a thunderstorm is classified as severe if 50 knot (58 MPH) winds are measured, 3/4 inch or larger hail occurs, or funnel clouds or tornadoes develop.
Straight Winds
Winds associated with a thunderstorm, most frequently found with the gust front. These winds originate as downdraft air reaches the ground and rapidly spreads out becoming strong horizontal flow. Damaging straight winds, although relatively rare themselves, are much more common than are tornadoes.
Shelf Cloud
A low-level horizontal accessory cloud that frequently appears to be wedge-shaped as it approaches. It is usually attached to the thunderstorm base and forms along the gust front. The leading edge of the shelf is often smooth and at times layered or terraced. It is most often seen along the leading edge of an approaching line of thunderstorms, accompanied by gusty straight winds as it passes overhead and followed by precipitation. The underside is concave upward, turbulent, boiling, or wind-torn. Tornadoes rarely occur with the shelf cloud.
Squall Line
Any line or narrow band of active thunderstorms. The term is usually used to describe solid or broken lines of strong or severe thunderstorms.
Tail Cloud
A low tail-shaped cloud extending outward from the northern quadrant of a wall cloud. Motions in the tail cloud are toward the wall cloud with rapid updraft at the junction of tail and wall cloud. This horizontal cloud is not a funnel or tornado.
Thunderstorm
A local storm (accompanied by lightning and thunder) produced by a cumulonimbus cloud, usually with gusty winds, heavy rain, and sometimes hail. Non-severe thunderstorms rarely have lifetimes over two hours. A typical, non-severe thunderstorm life cycle consists of three stages: (1) CUMULUS STAGE-- warm, moist air rises (updraft) and condenses into tiny water droplets which make up the visible cloud. (2) MATURE STAGE-- the cloud grows above the freezing level; precipitation forms and becomes heavy enough to fall back to earth. This precipitation generates cool air which also sinks back to earth with the precipitation. (3) DISSIPATION STAGE-- Cool rain and downdraft spread throughout the storm replacing the updraft which is the lifeblood of the thunderstorm. The visible cumulonimbus cloud becomes softer in appearance, less distinctly outlined or "fuzzy" and dissipates, sometimes leaving only the high anvil cloud, as the storm rains itself out.
Tornado
A violently rotating narrow column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm base. The tornado is most often found in the southwest quadrant of the storm, near the trailing edge of the cumulonimbus cloud. Tornadoes and funnel clouds are usually pendant from (1) wall clouds, or (2) directly from the thunderstorm base, within a few miles to the southwest of the precipitation shaft. The spinning motion of a tornado is most often left to right on the front side and right to left on the backside (counterclockwise). Tornadoes have been called twisters and cyclones, but these words are all synonyms for the most violent storm on earth, with estimated wind speeds up to 300 mph.
Updraft
Warm moist air which rises and condenses into a visible cumulus or cumulonimbus cloud. Once the cloud forms, it depends on the updraft for continuance and further development.
Virga
Wisps or streaks of rain falling out of a cloud but not reaching the earth's surface. When seen from a distance, these streaks can be mistaken for funnels or tornadoes.
Wall Clouds
A local and often abrupt lowering of a rain-free cumulonimbus base into a low-hanging accessory cloud, from 1 to 4 miles in diameter. The wall cloud is usually situated in the southwest portion of the storm below an intense updraft, marked by the main cumulonimbus cloud and associated with a very strong or severe thunderstorm. When seen from within several miles, many wall clouds exhibit rapid upward motion and rotation in the same sense as a tornado, except with considerably slower speed. A rotating wall cloud usually develops before tornadoes or funnel clouds by a time which can range from a few minutes up to possibly an hour. Spotters should key on any lowering of the cumulonimbus base as suspect wall cloud, particularly when it is located southwest of the precipitation shaft. Wall clouds should be reported. NOTE: Sometimes other low-hanging accessory clouds are mistakenly identified as wall clouds.
Warning
(Issued for tornadoes, severe thunderstorm, flash flood, river flood.) A warning is issued when severe weather has already developed and has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar. Warnings are statements of imminent danger and are issued for relatively small areas near and downstream from the severe storm or flood.
Watch
(Issued for tornado, severe thunderstorm, flash flood.) A watch identifies a relatively large area in which flash floods or severe storms might occur. Watches are quite often issued before any severe weather has developed. Severe thunderstorm and tornado watches usually include an area 140 miles wide by about 200 miles long. The watch is only an indication of where and when the severe weather probabilities are the highest, and should not be confused with a warning.
