Types of Rainfall

How it works… There are three common types of rainfall. All have the theme of air being forced to rise. As air rises, it cools and it can’t hold as much water as it could when it was warmer. Eventually, the rising air reaches a point where it is 100% saturated, in other words, it cannot hold any more water. This is called a dew point, and it is above this point that condensation occurs. Condensation is the process by which the water vapour (a gas) held in the air is turned back into water droplets (a liquid) which falls as rain.

Convection Rainfall … is very common in areas where the ground is heated by the hot sun, such as the Tropics. This is why those areas experience heavy rainfall & thunderstorms in the afternoons.

Frontal rain … Two air masses meet and the cooler air mass wedges itself under the warmer air mass. This forces the warm air to rise and cool, causing condensation and rain along a distinct line.

Relief rain Air is forced to rise due to the height of landmasses, such as mountains. As the air cools, condensation forms, producing rain. As the air begins to fall from the high land, it warms up, creating dry regions.