[1][2] Differences with the R class were minor, such as having the searchlight moved aft and being designed to mount an additional pair of torpedo tubes.

A full load of 301 long tons (306 t) of fuel oil was carried, which gave a design range of 2,750 nautical miles (5,090 km; 3,160 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

[8] The ship was designed to mount two additional 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes either side of the superstructure but this required the forecastle plating to be cut away, causing excess water to come aboard at sea, so they were not carried.

Stormcloud joined the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla of the Atlantic Fleet based at Port Edgar, replacing Retriever.

[14] The destroyer, along with the rest of the flotilla, departed from their temporary base at Fort Edgar on a cruise of the east coast of Scotland on 15 January 1926, returning on 12 February.

On 19 October, Stormcloud was involved in rescuing the survivors of the merchant ship Irene, sunk by pirates in Bias Bay.

[18] On 7 September 1931, the destroyer prevented piracy of the Norwegian steamer Helikon, which was travelling from Hong Kong to Saigon when "suspicious movements on board the latter vessel attracted notice from the warship, it being observed that two sacks were dumped overboard."

[19] Meanwhile, on 22 April 1930, the United Kingdom had signed the London Naval Treaty, which limited the total destroyer tonnage that the navy could operate.