Precipitation is divided into three types: convectional, orographic, and frontal. Click through the slides below to read about each type.
Convectional Precipitation
Convectional precipitation occurs when warm air rises and cools, losing its ability to hold much water. It is common near the Equator and the tropical rain forests, where hot and humid air exists. Orographic Precipitation
Orographic Precipitation is often found on seacoasts, where warm, moist air is forces upward when passing over high landforms such as mountains. The warm winds cool as they cross the mountains and clouds form. Either rain or snow falls. By the time the air reaches the other side of the mountain, it is cool and dry. The land on the leeward side, where it is away from the wind, lies in a rain shadow. After losing the moisture while crossing the mountains, the air warms up again as the elevation drops. This often causes dry climates. Frontal Precipitation
Frontal precipitation is the most common kind of precipitation. It occurs when two air masses of different temperatures meet. The cold air forces the warm air to move upward. The rising warm air cools and frontal precipitation occurs. |
 |
