TYPES OF RELIEF OR CONVECTIONAL FRONTAL OR CYCLONIC

RAINFALL OROGRAPHIC RAINFALL RAINFALL

RAINFALL
CAUSE Moisture laden winds Setting up of Meeting of warm and cold
ascend the slope of a convectional currents in air fronts
mountain range that the air due to intense
is at right angles to heating of the land
the winds
THE PROCESS  Moisture laden  Heated air above  Warm air fronts meet
winds rise the the land expands cold air fronts.
windward in volume and  Warm air being lighter
slope of the becomes lighter. rises above the cold
mountain It begins to rise. air.
 Air cools,  Cooler air from  This leads to cooling
condenses, and the surrounding and condensation and
precipitation gushes in to take rainfall.
occurs on the its place creating
windward convection
slope currents
 Air that has  Ascending air
lost most of its cools, condenses,
moisture forms cumulo-
descends the nimbus clouds.
opposite or  Such clouds bring
leeward side of torrential rainfall
the mountain every afternoon
as dry wind between 2 to 4
creating a rain pm, accompanied
shadow area by thunder and
there lightning.
NECESSARY Moisture laden winds Intense heating of land Cold and warm air fronts
CONDITIONS must hit the mountain and convention currents must meet
barrier at right angles being set up in the air
REGIONS OF In coastal areas with The Equatorial regions The mid latitudinal regions –
COMMON mountains. Eg: of the World Temperate regions of the
OCCURRENCE
Western ghats along World
the Western coastal
plains of peninsular
India forms mountain
barrier for the SW
Monsoon Winds
NATURE OF Heavy rains on the Torrential rains In tropical latitudes- heavy
RAINFALL windward side, very accompanied by thunder rainfall
little rainfall on the and lightning In temperate latitudes – mild
leeward side rains, less intense