Precipitation shaft

A precipitation shaft is mostly found underneath convective clouds, such as cumulonimbus cloud or cumulus congestus cloud during a downpour storm, as these have well defined vertical drafts (updrafts and downdrafts) needed for heavy precipitation. However, an advancing nimbostratus cloud could have a diffuse precipitation leading edge, so its shaft may be unclear. Developing rain shafts often have a fuzzy, bulbous appearance as they descend. If a source of dry air is present at higher altitude and the air into which the rain is falling is sufficiently warm, then strong, possibly damaging microbursts are possible as sinking air forms. Wet microbursts, normally producing more than of rain at ground level, can strengthen downdraft, and cause more intense and widespread damage than dry microbursts. ==See also==