# Why do storm clouds look black?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-storm-clouds-look-black/195566>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 16, 2003, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-storm-clouds-look-black/195566 "2003-08-16T09:47:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-storm-clouds-look-black/195566/1 "2003-08-16T09:47:55Z")

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Particulate, refraction, light absorbtion? Eeeevil? (puts pinkie finger to corner of mouth)

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**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-storm-clouds-look-black/195566/2 "2003-08-16T10:50:17Z")

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The thickness of the moisture content prevents light from penetrating? Just a guess. Can’t figure what else would make them dark, especially at midday.

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-storm-clouds-look-black/195566/3 "2003-08-16T12:21:43Z")

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Yep, it’s the thickness. A cumulonimbus cloud can be tens of thousands of feet high–virtually no light can get through them.