What is the Life Cycle of a Thunderstorm?

Thunderstorms typically have three stages – developing, mature, and dissipating. When a thunderstorm is in the developing stage, it’s typically not yet producing much precipitation, and it is mostly comprised of just a single updraft. As the thunderstorm reaches the mature stage, it produces both precipitation and lightning, and often the precipitation can include heavy rain and hail. The mature stage often involves a complex mix of strong updrafts as well as strong downdrafts. Finally, as a thunderstorm reaches the end of its life, it is in the dissipating stage, where it is mostly comprised of downdrafts. As the storm continues to collapse, it will eventually rain itself out. Some thunderstorms can become strong enough to produce severe weather, which is defined as hail larger than one inch in diameter, winds gusting greater than 58 mph, and/or producing a tornado. If severe weather occurs, most likely it is in the mature stage of the thunderstorm.