Other telling features include persistent overshooting tops, rock-hard towers, large backsheared anvils and banding or striations around the base. The flanking line is often short and steep, with individual updraft towers very close together or merged in appearance. How storms move and change The way a storm moves is the result of its growth pattern, in combination with the motion caused by the winds carrying the cloud along. If a cell simply formed, then stopped growing, it would drift with the winds aloft and gradually evaporate. Don't be distracted by the direction of motion of small cumulus or the anvil cloud's instead, keep an eye on the rain-free base beside the rain core .
Weaker storms travel roughly with the winds aloft.
Stronger storms can move almost at right - angles to the cloud motion. Storms grow toward the inflow side,which can be seen by the presence of low, dark bases. Each newer flange is a little farther south, showing us the system is growing toward the inflow. Most of the anvil is being left behind out of view. A regenerating storm system is one that recreates itself internally or in small increments so as to maintain its overall characteristics.