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THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING ISLAM<br />
Rain clouds are formed and shaped according <strong>to</strong> definite systems and<br />
stages. The formation stages of cumulonimbus, a type of rain cloud, are:<br />
1st Stage 2nd Stage 3rd Stage<br />
1 st stage: Being Driv<strong>en</strong> Along: Clouds are carried along, that is, they are<br />
driv<strong>en</strong> along, by the wind.<br />
2 nd stage: Joining: Th<strong>en</strong>, small clouds (cumulus clouds) driv<strong>en</strong> along by<br />
the wind join <strong>to</strong>gether, forming a larger cloud.<br />
3 rd stage: Stacking: Wh<strong>en</strong> the small clouds join <strong>to</strong>gether, updrafts within<br />
the larger cloud increase. The updrafts near the c<strong>en</strong>tre of the cloud are<br />
stronger than those near the edges. These updrafts cause the cloud body <strong>to</strong><br />
grow vertically so the cloud is stacked up. This vertical growth causes the<br />
cloud body <strong>to</strong> stretch in<strong>to</strong> cooler regions of the atmosphere, where drops of<br />
water and hail formulate and begin <strong>to</strong> grow larger and larger. Wh<strong>en</strong> these<br />
drops of water and hail become <strong>to</strong>o heavy for the updrafts <strong>to</strong> support them,<br />
they begin <strong>to</strong> fall from the cloud as rain, hail, etc.<br />
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