Vertical draft

A vertical draft is an upward or downward movement of air driven by convection or pressure differences. Rising drafts are called updrafts; descending drafts are called downdrafts.

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Atmospheric convection: Vertical air motion driven by differences in temperature and density. Uneven heating creates buoyant rising air and sinking return flows.
Thermal: A localized rising column of warm air produced by surface heating. Thermals are the familiar convective updrafts used by gliders and soaring birds.
Air density: The mass of air contained in a unit volume. Density contrasts help determine whether an air parcel rises or sinks.
Horizontal wind: Air motion parallel to Earth’s surface, driven mainly by pressure differences. It contrasts with the vertical direction that defines a draft.
Buoyancy: The force that makes a fluid parcel rise or sink relative to its surroundings. Warmer, less-dense air tends to rise, forming an updraft.
Cumulonimbus cloud: A towering cloud associated with thunderstorms and strong vertical air currents. Its intense updrafts build the cloud and carry water and ice upward.
Adiabatic process: A thermodynamic change occurring without heat transfer to or from the surroundings. Rising and sinking air changes temperature as it expands or compresses.
Turbulence: Irregular fluid motion characterized by fluctuating speed and direction across many scales. A draft is a coherent vertical motion; turbulence can disrupt or contain one.
Pressure gradient force: The force that accelerates air from regions of higher pressure toward lower pressure. Pressure differences can drive vertical air motion alongside buoyancy.
Thunderstorm: A storm produced by cumulonimbus clouds, often with lightning, heavy rain, or hail. Powerful updrafts and downdrafts organize its precipitation and hazards.