Back to the OP's question - can it be said that stratiform rain clouds - oops, I mean
nimbostratus - are not as likely to have the strong gradients and irregular contours?
[funny/] I had a Captain last summer ask me to request a heading to go around one of the two cells that was in front of us. At our 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock. That were moving with us. In a clear sky.
"Uh, Captain, I think those are cat eyes from the radome. . . "
