What Happens Inside a Cloud During a Thunderstorm? The Science Explained

A thunderstorm can look deceptively simple from the ground. Dark clouds gather, the wind changes, rain begins to fall and suddenly the sky flashes with lightning. But inside that enormous cloud, an astonishing chain of events is taking place. Powerful air currents are carrying water droplets and ice particles up and down through the atmosphere, while collisions help separate electrical charges. As the storm grows, some clouds can rise more than 10 kilometres into the sky. What looks like a dark patch above your neighbourhood is actually a rapidly developing atmospheric system, constantly moving heat, moisture and energy.