What is Precipitation in Weather? In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapour that falls under gravity. It includes rain, snow, sleet and hail. Precipitation is not evenly distributed across the Earth.
In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapour that falls under gravity. It includes rain, snow, sleet and hail. Precipitation is not evenly distributed across the Earth. Precipitation – rain, snow, sleet and hail – is associated with areas of rising air and low pressure. When air rises it cools, and the moisture it contains condenses out as clouds, which eventually produce precipitation. In regions of high pressure, air is descending, the atmosphere is stable, the skies are usually clear, and precipitation is rare. Precipitation is highest in the region of the equator, declining as one moves north and south.
The decline, however, is not continuous. Two troughs occur in the mid-latitudes interrupting the general patterns of decline in precipitation from the equator toward the poles. The highest rainfall occurs near the equator in the tropics, where the strong heating by the Sun creates significant vertical uplift of air and the formation of prolonged heavy showers and frequent thunderstorms. Annual rainfall totals in the tropics usually exceed 100 inches (or 2500 millimetres), and can be as high as 400 inches (or 10000 millimetres), particularly if influenced by the monsoons or if mountains enhance the uplift of air.
Within the Polar Regions, precipitation Is low because air is too cold to contain much water vapour. In addition, the cold heavy air descends precluding much cloud formation. In fact sonic parts of Antarctica and the Arctic are as dry as the hot desert climates of the subtropics where high pressure also limits cloud formation and precipitation. Both hot and cold dese may receive less than 10 Inches (or 250 millimetres) of precipitation each year. Indeed, some parts of the subtropics, rain may not fall for several years.
FAQ
FAQs on What is Precipitation in Weather
1. How many types of precipitation are there?
Rain, hail, and snow are the three types of precipitation that happen most often. There are times when different kinds of rain fall at the same time. During harsh winter storms, for example, it is not uncommon for sleet and rain to fall at the same time.
2. Where is precipitation most likely to occur?
Precipitation most likely to occur 1. Near the frontal surface between 2 air masses 2. In descending air currents 3. On leeward slopes of mountains 4. Near center of high-pressure system.
3. When does precipitation occur in surface?
When water vapour condenses into larger and larger droplets, precipitation develops in the clouds.
4. What’s precipitation in weather? Definition?
Any kind of water that condenses in the atmosphere and eventually returns to Earth is considered precipitation. Rain, sleet, and snow are only a few examples of its numerous forms.
5. How much precipitation is needed for snow?
When the air temperature is below 2 °C, precipitation falls as snow. It is a misconception that snow requires temperatures below zero.