Thunderstorms Thunderstorms vary in complexity. Some are small, single cell storms. Other storms have multiple cells, where a cell consists of an individual updraft and its accompanying downdraft inside the thunderstorm cloud. A typical multicell thunderstorm is made up of two to four cells at any given time. There is always at least one active cell within a multicell storm.
Thunderstorms form and die out within the storm.
Cells continue to form within the clouds as the multicell storm regenerates itself. A total of thirty or more cells may develop during the lifetime of a storm. Some of the most violent aspects of thunderstorms can be seen in microbursts . Supercell thunderstorms are tremendously powerful storms that can produce severe weather conditions for hours on end, sometimes affecting towns and cities in their path for hundreds of miles. Although supercell thunderstorms produce much of our severe weather, other thunderstorms can also become severe under the right conditions.