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Precipitation
Precipitation
Definition
Precipitation is a general term to denote
rainfall and snow fall liquid and solid water
falling from atmosphere.
Importance of Precipitation
Among the climatic factors, precipitation
and evaporation are the most important in
hydrology and hydrometeorology.
FORMS OF PRECIPITATION
Drizzle
- Sometimes called mist
- Consist of tiny liquid water droplets, usually with
diameter between 0.1 and 0.5 mm with such slow
settling rates
Rain
– Liquid precipitation (drops larger than 0.5 mm in
diameter)
Dew
– Condensation on the earth’s surface, vegetal cover
and the soil. This form does not contribute to
hydrologic cycle because of its small amount and it
evaporates during early morning hours.
Drizzle
Rain
Dew
Fog/Rime
– Fog – fine water droplets suspended in the air
– Rime – frozen form of this deposit
Snow and related forms
– Solid precipitation generally occurring in the middle to
high latitude
Note:
a) the form and quantity of precipitation are influenced by
the action of wind, temperature and atmospheric
pressure;
b) precipitation derived from atmospheric moisture varies
according to the climate of the area;
c) different climate yield different amount of precipitation
Rime
Snow
TYPE OF CLIMATE (according to amount of rainfall)
Arid
– Very dry like desert; areas with annual rainfall of <250
mm; rainfall is not adequate for regular crop
production
Semi-arid
– Dry areas like steppes; area where rainfall is sufficient
for short season crops only.
Humid
– Exemplified by tropical countries where supply of
precipitation is distributed throughout the year and of
greater amount.
Arid Areas
Semi-arid
Humid Areas
FORMATION OF RAIN
Four conditions necessary for the production of
precipitation
• Mechanism to produce cooling
• Mechanism to produce condensation
• Mechanism for growth of cloud droplets
• Mechanism for the accumulation of moisture
of sufficient amount
Mechanism for cooling
Adiabatic reduction of temperature associated with
upward motion of air masses.
The main effect of vertical air motion is a change in the
state of air masses, that is, a increase in T cause a raise of air;
and decrease in T cause a fall of air. Hence, the mechanism
that is required to cool the air sufficiently to bring it near
saturation is achieved by lifting the air. How?
Continued…….
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In summary, when water vapor in
the air cools, it is transformed into
water droplets that form the cloud we
see in the sky. When these water
droplets become large and heavy
enough that the air can no longer
support them, the water droplets
eventually fall as rain, snow, sleet or
hail. Rainfall is one such result of
precipitation process.
ARTIFICIAL STIMULATION OF PRECIPITATION
8-in Raingauge
An 8-ince raingauge, so called because the
inside diameter of the receiver is exactly 8 inches
is provided with a funnel that conducts rain into a
cylindrical measuring tube. The volume of the
receiver is 10 times the volume of the measuring
tube. Therefore, the actual depth of rainfall is
increased ten times on being collected in the
smaller measuring tube.
8-in Raingauge
Tipping bucket raingauge
Another type of rainfall recording instrument
is the tipping-bucket raingauge. It is upright
cylinder that has a funnel-shaped receiver. The
precipitation collected by the receiver empties
into one side of a “tipping bucket”, an inverted
triangular contraption partitioned transversely at
its center, and is pivoted about a horizontal axis.
Once it is filled with rain, it tips, spilling out the
water and placing the other half of the bucket
under the funnel. The tipping activates a mercury
switch causing an electrical current to move the
pen in the recorder. Each tipping is equal to one
millimeter of rainfall.
Tipping bucket raingauge
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