Plain English Meaning
Weather caused by warm air rising and cooler air sinking. This vertical churning of the air builds the puffy clouds, rain showers, and thunderstorms that pilots want to know about and often avoid.
Full Definition
Atmospheric motion characterized by vertical currents of rising warm air and descending cooler air, typically producing cumulus-type clouds, showers, and thunderstorms. On ATC radar weather displays, convective activity appears as areas of precipitation associated with these vertical air movements and is reported in intensity levels.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument flying and ATC radar weather display discussions, especially when controllers weather areas shown on near a ’s .