Plain English Meaning
A column of air rising upward, usually because the ground is warming it or terrain is pushing it up.
Full Definition
A vertical current of air moving upward, typically caused by surface heating, air being forced up sloping terrain, or convective activity within a developing cloud.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter updrafts near hills and mountains, under building clouds, over heated ground, and in turbulence reports.
Derivation
From 'up' (direction) and 'draft,' an old word for a current of air being drawn or pulled along. So an updraft is simply a current of air being drawn upward.
Why Pilots Care
Updrafts can produce sudden altitude gains, turbulence, or lift that affects and requires near convective clouds.