Atmospheric precipitation refers to all forms of water, liquid or solid, that condense from atmospheric water vapor and fall to the Earth’s surface under gravity, including rain, snow, sleet, freezing rain, and hail. It is governed by microphysical processes such as nucleation, droplet and ice-crystal growth, collision–coalescence, riming, and aggregation within clouds, and by dynamical processes like uplift, frontal systems, and convective motions. Precipitation is quantified using intensity, duration, phase, and spatial distribution, and is central to the hydrological cycle, energy budget, and climate system, serving as a key output variable in weather prediction and climate models.
Hot air holds more moisture. That's why you can blow your hair dry even after a steamy shower. It's also what dumps rain in the tropics and sucks water from desert soils.
Earth Sciences
Jun 4, 2025
0
56
Across the globe, monsoon rainfall switches on in spring and off in autumn. Until now, this seasonal pattern was primarily understood as an immediate response to changes in solar radiation.
Earth Sciences
May 7, 2025
0
606
Clouds form upon existing particles in the atmosphere and extreme weather events like flooding and snowstorms are related to the production of large amounts of ice in clouds.
Earth Sciences
May 5, 2025
0
43
Visit ancient Mars—a surprisingly temperate planet where snow or rain falls from the sky, and rivers rush down valleys to feed hundreds of lakes.
Planetary Sciences
Apr 21, 2025
0
154
As atmospheric rivers pounded the U.S. West Coast last winter, scientists deployed increasingly advanced observing tools over the Pacific Ocean to improve forecasts of the powerful storms.
Earth Sciences
Apr 18, 2025
0
52
Weather forecasters sometimes warn of storms that unleash rains so unusual they are described as 100-year or even 500-year floods.
Environment
Apr 2, 2025
0
41
A new study led by the University of Vermont (UVM) uncovers a critical challenge in accurately classifying precipitation as rain or snow using surface weather data.
Environment
Mar 26, 2025
0
23
In ancient China, spring rains were called "as precious as oil" for their vital role in nature's spring revival. Today, a unique climate phenomenon known as "spring persistent rainfall" (SPR) prevails in East Asia, bringing ...
Earth Sciences
Mar 18, 2025
0
89
Climate change may lead to more precipitation and more intense floods. A new study shows that to understand the details of this relationship, it is important to distinguish between different types of rainfall and flood events—namely, ...
Earth Sciences
Mar 13, 2025
0
173
We've all been there—caught outside without an umbrella as the sky opens up. Whether it's a light drizzle or a heavy downpour, instinct tells us that running will minimize how wet we get. But is that really true? Let's take ...
General Physics
Oct 21, 2024
3
213
