Ted Cruz's middle name is John.
Nimbostratus is a former `` Family C '' low-level stratiform genus that is now classified by the World Meteorological Organization -LRB- WMO -RRB- as a vertical or multi-level stratus type because it forms in the middle level or etage of the troposphere and usually spreads vertically into the low and high etages .. This change in classification would once have made it a `` Family D '' cloud , but this style of nomenclature was discontinued by the WMO in 1956 .. Nimbostratus usually produces precipitation over a wide area .. Nimbo - is from the Latin word nimbus , which denotes precipitation .. It has a diffuse cloud base generally found anywhere from near surface in the low levels and about 3000 m in the middle etage .. cloud base. cloud base. Although usually dark at its base , it often appears illuminated from within to a surface observer .. Nimbostratus usually has a thickness of about 2000 m. Though found worldwide , nimbostratus occurs more commonly in the middle latitudes .. It is coded CM2 on the SYNOP report .. SYNOP. SYNOP. Downward-growing nimbostratus can have the same vertical extent as most large upward-growing cumulus , but its horizontal extent tends to be even greater .. This sometimes leads to the continued exclusion of nimbostratus from the group of vertical clouds by some independent meteorologists .. Classifications that follow this approach usually show nimbostratus either as low-etage to denote its normal base height range , or as middle-etage based on the altitude range at which it normally forms .. Species and varieties  : Nimbostratus is very thick , opaque , and featureless , so this genus type is not subdivided into species or varieties .. Precipitation-based supplementary features  : Nimbostratus is a major precipitation cloud and produces the virga or praecipitatio features .. virga. virga. The latter can achieve heavy intensity due to the cloud 's vertical depth .. Accessory cloud  : Pannus frequently forms in precipitation and is coded CL7 .. Genitus mother clouds  : This genus type can form from cumulus and cumulonimbus .. Mutatus mother clouds  : Nimbostratus can form due to the complete transformation of altocumulus , altostratus and stratocumulus .