Formation of Precipitation

Precipitation is the formation of a solid in a solution or inside another solid

during a chemical reaction or by diffusion in a solid.

Formation of Precipitation:

*Precipitation formation in Warm Clouds – is done with the process of

collision-coalescence

*Precipitation formation in Cold Clouds – is done by the ice crystal process

Natural methods of precipitation:

*Settling

*Sedimentation

Types of Precipitation

*Rain - occurs when tiny cloud droplets collide to form bigger droplets

*Hail - is a product of very intense thunderstorms

*Freezing Rain - is probably the most dangerous type of precipitation.

*Sleet - is nothing more than frozen raindrops

*Snow - occurs when the layer of the atmosphere from the surface of the
earth through the cloud is entirely below freezing.

Bergeron Process

Bergeron process is the process by which precipitation is initiated in

a mixed cloud with a temperature below freezing. Because the
equilibrium vapour pressure of water vapour with respect to ice is less than
that with respect to liquid water, ice crystals grow at the expense
of supercooled water droplets.
Rain

Rain occurs when tiny cloud droplets collide to form bigger droplets. This keeps happening
until the droplet is two heavy for the air to support it. The droplet then begins to fall, colliding
with more cloud droplets as it gains in size. If the liquid water does not encounter a deep layer
of sub-freezing air, it will remain liquid and fall to the ground as rain. Sometimes rain will show
up on the RADAR but there is no rain reaching the ground. This phenomenon is called virga.

Hail

Hail is a product of very intense thunderstorms. People commonly mistake hail for sleet but
they each form under different conditions. Hail is rarely seen when the surface air temperature
is below freezing. It forms as a byproduct of strong updrafts that exist in thunderstorms. The
cumulonimbus clouds that are associated with thunderstorms can grow to heights where the
temperature is below freezing. Drops of water will rise up with the upward directed wind as they
collide with other droplets and grow larger. This will eventually result in the droplet freezing into
a hailstone.
The hailstone will "cycle" through the cloud. The updrafts will cause it to rise and gravity will
cause it to fall. While this is occurring the hailstone is picking up more moisture and growing in
size. Eventually the hailstone will grow too large for the updrafts to keep it suspended and it will
then fall to the ground.
The size of hailstones varies with the intensity of the thunderstorm. The stronger the
thunderstorm, the stronger the updraft and the longer the hailstone will have to grow in size.
Hail size is often described using common spherical objects. Sizes can range from pea-sized to
golf-ball sized, but have even been seen as big as a softball or even larger.

Freezing Rain

Freezing rain is probably the most dangerous type of precipitation. There is no noticeable
difference between freezing rain and rain so people ignore the fact that is can cause such things
as black ice on roadways.
Freezing rain occurs when there is a shallow layer of air at the surface that is below freezing
followed by a layer of above freezing air above it. The precipitation will fall through the warmer
layer so it will not freeze over. When it hits the sub-freezing layer it will cool but not freeze.
Since the surface temperature is below freezing, objects in contact with the air are also below
freezing. The super-cooled water droplets will freeze on contact to these surfaces. This can
cause problems with ice forming on roadways while it is raining. The following diagram shows
the atmospheric temperature profile that can cause freezing rain.

Sleet

Sleet is nothing more than frozen raindrops. Sleet occurs when there is a warm layer of air
above a relatively deep sub-freezing layer at the surface. The layer above freezing will allow for
liquid precipitation but as the drops hit the cold layer, they will freeze and hit the ground as
frozen water droplets. Sleet usually doesn't last long and mainly occurs ahead of warm fronts
during winter months. The following chart will show the temperature profile typically associated
with sleet.

Snow

Snow occurs when the layer of the atmosphere from the surface of the earth through the
cloud is entirely below freezing. The precipitation falls from the cloud as snow and does not
melt at all while falling to the ground. The following chart will show the vertical temperature
profile associated with snow.

super-cooled water - Water that exists in liquid form but has a temperature below freezing. This
water will freeze on contact with any surface.

virga - Raindrops that evaporate before hitting the ground. This is usually associated with rain
falling through a dry layer of the atmosphere.