Drizzle is often associated with which type of cloud formation?

Drizzle is primarily associated with stratus clouds, which are characterized as low-lying, gray clouds that cover the sky in a uniform layer. These clouds typically produce light precipitation, such as drizzle or mist, rather than heavier rain. The nature of stratus clouds, being thick and horizontal in spread, allows them to trap moisture and lead to a continuous light rain or drizzle lasting for extended periods.

In contrast, cumulus clouds are typically puffy and associated with fair weather or thunderstorms rather than light, steady precipitation. Cirrus clouds are high-altitude clouds that are thin and wispy, often indicating fair weather, and they do not produce drizzle. While the term "nimbus" refers to clouds that produce precipitation, it is more often associated with nimbostratus or cumulonimbus clouds, which can produce heavier rain rather than the light precipitation characteristic of drizzle. Thus, stratus clouds are the correct association for drizzle due to their ability to maintain consistent light rain conditions.