Q: What is an updraft?

Arab Weather - Updrafts are air currents that move vertically from the Earth's surface upwards. These winds are formed when the air near the Earth's surface is heated by the sun, becoming lighter and less dense, causing it to rise upward. As the warm air rises, it gradually expands and cools.

Updrafts play an important role in the formation of clouds and thunderstorms, as the rising of moist air leads to the condensation of water vapor and the formation of cumulonimbus clouds that may later develop into thunderstorms.