Precipitation
Key Points
1) Precipitation is based on two points
-Air Cools as it Rises
-As air cools, water vapour condenses it more than it evaporates
2) Air may rise for 3 reasons:
- An area of elevation (relief precipitation)
- The heat of the earth causes it to rise (convectional precipitation)
-Rises because there is cooler, more dense air flowing beneath it. (cyclonic precipitation)
-Air Cools as it Rises
-As air cools, water vapour condenses it more than it evaporates
2) Air may rise for 3 reasons:
- An area of elevation (relief precipitation)
- The heat of the earth causes it to rise (convectional precipitation)
-Rises because there is cooler, more dense air flowing beneath it. (cyclonic precipitation)
Summary
There are three types of precipitation, relief, convectional and cyclonic. Relief is due to the elevation and mountains of the region. Convectional is due to the heat of the earth and how much it radiates upward. Cyclonic precipitation occurs when cooler, denser air flows beneath the air.