16.5 Precipitation
Precipitation Precipitation is any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches Earth’s surface. Not all clouds produce precipitation Cloud droplets or ice crystals must grow heavy enough to fall through the air. Grow by colliding with other droplets.
Types of Precipitation Common Types of Precipitation Rain Sleet Freezing Rain Hail Snow
Types of Precipitation Rain Drops less than 0.5mm Most common. Usually fall from nimbostratus clouds. Freezing Rain Rain that freezes when it touches a cold surface.
Types of Precipitation Sleet Rain that freezes into ice. Less than 5mm in diameter. Hail Pellets of ice larger than 5mm. Form in cumulonimbus clouds
Measuring Precipitation Meteorologists measure rain with a rain gauge. Collects rainfall with a funnel. Depth divided by ten.