Air mass thunderstorms - Life Cycle

Mature Stage

• Storm is most intense
• cloud tops can reach tropopause height - generating overshooting tops
• overshooting tops can also be seen in satellite imagery
• Check out this loop showing convective development and overshooting tops
• Ice and water may both be present in the cloud
• lightning and thunder may be present
• Storm is characterized by warm updraft and cold, downdraft
• precip is reaching the surface
• downdraft can produce strong, gusty winds at surface