Storm development and rain

Is there a good correlation between the appearance of rain in a
developing CB and the point at which the storm reaches its peak? I'm
familiar with the standard three stage picture of thunderstorm
development, and the fact that if significant winds are present a storm
can keep building despite the dissipating effect of rain. The context
of my question is flying near tall cumulus under which strong rain is
falling, but which has not yet developed into a full fledged
thunderstorm. It would seem to me that the rain is dissipating the
energy of the storm and that the storm is unlikely to continue towering
into a thunderstorm (making it safer to skirt closer to).

Jose
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