The growth of a single-mode perturbation is described by a buoyancy–drag equation, which describes all instability stages (linear, nonlinear and asymptotic) at time-dependent Atwood number and acceleration profile. The evolution of a multimode spectrum of perturbations from a short wavelength random noise is described using a single characteristic wavelength. The temporal evolution of this wavelength allows the description of both the linear stage and the late time self-similar behavior. Model results are compared to full two-dimensional numerical simulations and shock-tube experiments of random perturbations, studying the various stages of the evolution. Extensions to the model for more complicated flows are suggested.