During the life cycle of a thunderstorm, which stage is characterized predominantly by downdrafts?

The dissipating stage of a thunderstorm is primarily characterized by downdrafts. During this phase, the storm begins to weaken, and the precipitation that was previously sustained diminishes. The downdrafts, which are powerful downward currents of air, dominate this stage as the cooler and heavier air, exiting the cloud, pushes the warmer air upwards less effectively.

In essence, as the storm matures and exhausts its energy, the updrafts that were strong and prevalent when the storm was in the mature stage significantly decrease. The critiquing mechanism of downdrafts takes over, leading to a general reduction in storm intensity and eventually bringing the thunderstorm to an end.

The developing stage primarily shows growth with increasing updrafts, while the mature stage is where both updrafts and downdrafts can be strong, and the cumulonimbus cloud exhibits vigorous activity. Thus, the distinctive feature of the dissipating stage is its reliance on downdrafts for cooling and the termination of the thunderstorm cycle.