Different Types And Forms Of Precipitation

Like most other natural events, there are various types and forms of precipitation in nature. Knowing the different precipitation types and forms and their specialities is also very important. Though there are generally two types of precipitations, all the forms of precipitation come under these two types.

The type of precipitation gets divided based on the state of the water falling on the earth from the sky. Different types of states of water come in different times and regions. On the other hand, different forms of both the precipitation state of water come in these two types only.

Types and Forms of precipitation

To understand different types and forms of precipitation, it is needed to explain precipitation types and their forms of precipitation in detail. As previously stated, there are two different types of precipitation; it is best to start the discussion with the types and properties of different precipitation.

Types of Precipitation

The types of precipitations are completely based on the state of the water falling on the earth from the sky. To be more precise, there are three different states of water or any substance. They are gaseous, liquid, and solid.

For water, these are vapour, liquid water, and ice. The vapour goes to the sky to form the cloud and cause precipitation, so vapour cannot be a state for the types of precipitation. The rest of the two, liquid water and ice, are the two different types of precipitation one can experience.

Water Precipitation

In this precipitation type, liquid water molecules got precipitated on the earth from the sky. This precipitation type can be experienced the most in any plane and places with lower or middle altitudes. Ideally, this type of precipitation is broadly known as rain. The amount of rain gets measured by a rain gauge. Rain also has some different forms.

Ice Precipitation

Ice is the particle that gets precipitated in this precipitation type from the sky to the earth. Places with higher altitudes are also places near both sides that experienced this a lot. Not only that, but the places with the main season of winter also experience a lot of ice precipitation. This type is also known as snowfall. The amount of snowfall gets measured by the snow gauge.

Different forms of precipitations come either under rain or under snowfall. There is no other type of precipitation that exists.

At this very point, it is needed to keep in mind that fog and dew do not come under any precipitation types and forms. As they don’t fall from the sky to the earth in any water or ice state, The vapour gets condensed and turns into the water in the earth itself.

Forms of Precipitation

In discussing the topic of precipitation types and forms, it’s important to categorise the forms of precipitation.

Rain

This is the most normal form of precipitation, where water droplets maximum of 7 mm in diameter fall into the ground fast.

Drizzle

This type of rain in which water droplets of 0.2 to 2 mm in diameter fall into the earth from the sky at a slower rate than the rain.

Shower

This is also a type of rain when the rain is happening in a small area for a shorter period.

Snowfall

This is also the most common form of ice precipitation in the form of powder. Snowfall can be experienced mostly at high altitudes or in winter-based regions. Ideally, this has a hexagonal shape.

Sleet

A type of snow, when the transparent ice pallets with a diameter of less the 5 mm get precipitated, then it is known as sleet.

Freezing Rain or Drizzle

This is one of the fascinating types of precipitation. In this one, the rain falls on the earth. It got frozen and turned into ice on something very cold, not directly on the ground. This can even produce glaze on a coat of ice.

Virga

This is one of the most important precipitation types and forms. When precipitation falls from the cloud and evaporates before reaching the ground, that phenomenon is known as virga. The radar can see it but never reach the ground. As this one follows the precipitation types diagram, this is also precipitation. This one can be experienced in deserts.

Conclusion

There is one thing in common among different precipitation types and forms: the water. To be precipitation, it is mandatory to be a water molecule that may be in any state of a substance, except the gaseous. It is also important for falling water molecules from the sky to be precipitation. Getting danced near the ground and forming water molecules cannot be considered precipitation.