When the cool downdraft hits the ground, it spreads out and forms a gust front, which may include damaging winds called a downburst. At the top of the storm, the updraft rapidly decelerates and clouds spread out and form an anvil. Spotters should pay particular attention to a storm with an overshooting top since the area beneath the top is a preferred area for severe weather formation. Dissipating stage of a thunderstorm. Eventually, excessive precipitation and downdraft will weaken the updraft.
Downdrafts dominate the storm and any overshooting top disappears.
At the surface, the gust front will move away from the storm and cut off the inflow of energy into the storm. This is indicative of the dissipating stage. Overview of the thunderstorm spectrum, with characteristics of each primary storm type. Multicell cluster storms are the most common type of storm and consist of a series of cells moving along as one unit. Supercell storms have a singe updraft, are very strong, and always produce significant severe weather.