The terms "convection" and "thunderstorms'' often are used interchangeably, although thunderstorms are only one form of convection, which is a vertical transport of heat and moisture in the atmosphere, especially by updrafts and downdrafts in an unstable atmosphere.

NOAA-20 saw a series of thunderstorms bubbling up over southeastern Africa, which appear in this true color image captured by the satellite's VIIRS sensor above.