Which cloud type might you expect to find a mixture of ice crystals and supercooled water?

The presence of both ice crystals and supercooled water droplets is characteristic of cumulonimbus clouds. These clouds are associated with significant vertical development, reaching high altitudes where temperatures can drop well below freezing. In these regions, the upper portions of cumulonimbus clouds can contain ice crystals, while the warmer, lower levels may still hold supercooled water droplets. This mixture creates dynamic weather conditions, often resulting in thunderstorms, heavy precipitation, and severe weather phenomena such as hail and lightning.

Cumulonimbus clouds are unique because they can produce intense updrafts that allow the coexistence of both ice crystals and supercooled water droplets. This is critical in understanding storm development and precipitation processes. Other cloud types, while they may contain either ice crystals or supercooled water, typically do not exhibit the same combination due to their different structures and formation processes.