Types of Precipitation
3 Important Facts about precipitation
1. Air cools as it rises
2. As air cools, water vapour condenses. Clouds begin to form and are made
of tiny drops of liquid water, which are held aloft by the air currents
because they are so light
3. If there is sufficient condensation, cloud droplets will start to merge
together and eventually start to fall as they get too heavy to stay aloft.
Air can rise in one of three ways
1. When air crosses high elevation - causes relief or orographic precipitation
2. Absorbs heat from the ground and rises (Convectional precipitation)
3. Cooler, denser air flows underneath it forcing air loft - causing cyclonic (or
frontal) precipitation
Relief/Orographic Precipitation
- Formed when air is forced to coll when it rises over relief features in
landscapes such as hills or mountains
- As it rises, it cools, condenses and forms rain
3 Important Facts about precipitation
1. Air cools as it rises
2. As air cools, water vapour condenses. Clouds begin to form and are made
of tiny drops of liquid water, which are held aloft by the air currents
because they are so light
3. If there is sufficient condensation, cloud droplets will start to merge
together and eventually start to fall as they get too heavy to stay aloft.
Air can rise in one of three ways
1. When air crosses high elevation - causes relief or orographic precipitation
2. Absorbs heat from the ground and rises (Convectional precipitation)
3. Cooler, denser air flows underneath it forcing air loft - causing cyclonic (or
frontal) precipitation
Relief/Orographic Precipitation
- Formed when air is forced to coll when it rises over relief features in
landscapes such as hills or mountains
- As it rises, it cools, condenses and forms rain
