Ordinary thunderstorms, called air mass thunderstorms, occur within a single air mass. They go through stages of formation, maturation and dissipation. Air mass thunderstorms usually dissipate fairly quickly because the phenemenon of dry air entrainment leads to downdrafts that slowly cut off the warm, humid, rising air that powers the thunderstorm.

Frontal thunderstorms can be more severe and produce hail, strong winds, flooding and tornadoes.Severe thunderstorms may have tilted updrafts that are not suppressed by downdrafts. Other thunderstorms that do not have tilted updrafts may also develop into severe storms when a strong vertical wind shear causes the storm to rotate. This rotation may spawn tornadoes.