Thunderstorm

Three basic ingredients are required for a thunderstorm to form: moisture, rising unstable air, and a lifting mechanism . The sun heats the surface of the earth, which warms the air above it. If this warm surface air is forced to rise, it will continue to rise as long as it weighs less and stays warmer than the air around it. As the air rises, it transfers heat from the surface of the earth to the upper levels of the atmosphere. The water vapor it contains begins to cool, releasing the heat, and it condenses into a cloud. The cloud eventually grows upward into areas where the temperature is below freezing. Some of the water vapor turns to ice and some of it turns into water droplets .