Weather conditions are one of the most unpredictable factors a pilot faces. It affects the pilot's activities more than any other element. Some say it is the most difficult and least understood topic in the history of aviation, while others continue to be “daredevils” and fly through it. A pilot's knowledge of the weather is critical when it comes to flying a plane safely during a storm or even avoiding one in the first place. For a pilot, understanding weather phenomena will increase flight safety. Weather plays a significant role in many aviation accidents and incidents. It is an important issue that is not under the control of technology or aviation system planners. Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reports most commonly deem human error to be the direct cause of accidents, weather being a major contributing factor in 23% of all aviation accidents (NTSB)). One of the most fatal weather conditions a pilot can face while flying is a thunderstorm. All thunderstorms can produce strong turbulence, low-level wind shear, low ceilings and visibility, hail and lightning; each with their own unpredictable characteristics that can quickly bring down an aircraft. There are three phases of temporal formations that pilots encounter, the Towering Cumulus phase, the Mature phase, and the Dissipating phase. The towering cumulus, often called the developing stage, produces warm, moist air that rises in a buoyant plume or series of convective updrafts. When this happens, the air begins to condense into a mound, drastically reducing visibility. As the warm air within the cloud continues to rise, it eventually cools and condenses. Condensation releases heat into the cloud, warming the air which causes the air to rise rapidly. The process continues...... middle of document......NTSB>>>. Icing conditions also lead to one of the most dangerous conditions in a storm, hail. Hail is the result of frozen drops coming together to form a large ball of ice. Another phenomenon produced during a thunderstorm is lightning. Lightning is produced when liquid and ice, above the freezing point, collide, building up static electricity in the cloud. Once the electricity is large enough, it will produce a giant “spark” in the form of lighting. It can occur between clouds, between clouds and the air, and between clouds and the ground; the most dangerous is when it is between a cloud and a plane. Lightning can pierce the body of an aircraft and damage communications and electronic navigation equipment. All thunderstorms can contain lightning, and as an aviator, you should also be aware that lightning may still exist up to ten miles away from a storm.