What are the stages of a thunderstorm life cycle?

The stages of a thunderstorm life cycle accurately recognized as Cumulus, Mature, and Dissipative represent the typical progression of these weather phenomena.

In the Cumulus stage, warm air rises and cools, resulting in the development of cumulus clouds. This is the initial stage where updrafts begin to form, and cloud growth occurs due to the condensation of water vapor.

The Mature stage is characterized by the most intense activity. This is when the thunderstorm is fully developed, featuring both updrafts and downdrafts. Rainfall, thunder, lightning, and potentially severe weather phenomena like hail or tornadoes are most likely to occur during this stage.

The Dissipative stage follows, indicating the decline of the storm's intensity. The downdrafts dominate, and the storm gradually weakens as the supply of warm, moist air is depleted.

This systematic understanding of the thunderstorm life cycle stages helps aviators recognize weather conditions that might affect flight safety. Other options presented do not align with the meteorological interpretations or common terminology used when describing thunderstorms, which confirms the relevance and accuracy of the recognized life cycle stages.