Which weather phenomenon is known to involve significant wind shear and can occur during thunderstorms?

The correct answer pertains to tornadoes, which are a severe weather phenomenon closely associated with thunderstorms and characterized by intense wind shear. Wind shear refers to the variation in wind speed and direction with altitude, which is crucial for the development of tornadoes. In the environment of a thunderstorm, particularly supercell storms, differences in wind speed and direction create rotation within the storm. If the conditions are right, this rotation can extend downward to form a tornado.

While downdrafts are indeed phenomena associated with thunderstorms, they primarily involve descending air rather than the intense, rotating winds characteristic of tornadoes. Heavy rainfall is a common feature of thunderstorms but does not specifically involve the complexities of wind shear. Static electricity, while relevant to the electrical activity of storms, does not directly involve wind shear or the formation of tornadoes. Thus, tornadoes are the most accurate representation of a weather phenomenon that involves significant wind shear occurring during thunderstorms.