Precipitation (meteorology)

Precipitation (meteorology)

Precipitation (/prɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃən/), in Meteorology, refers to any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include Drizzle, Rain, Snow, Sleet, Hail, and Freezing rain.

Etymology

The term "precipitation" originates from the Latin word "praecipitare" which means "to throw down headlong".

Types of Precipitation

• Drizzle - Light, fine droplets of water that appear to float while following air currents.
• Rain - Liquid water droplets that fall from the sky, which are larger than drizzle droplets.
• Snow - Precipitation in the form of ice crystals, mainly of intricately branched, hexagonal form and often agglomerated into snowflakes.
• Sleet - A form of precipitation consisting of ice pellets, often mixed with rain or snow.
• Hail - Precipitation in the form of solid ice that forms in thunderstorm updrafts.
• Freezing rain - Rain that falls when surface temperatures are below freezing.

Related Terms

• Cloud - A visible mass of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere, typically high above the ground.
• Atmosphere - The envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet.
• Water vapor - The gaseous phase of water, which is formed when water boils or evaporates.
• Gravity - The force that attracts a body towards the center of the earth, or towards any other physical body having mass.

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Precipitation (meteorology)
• Wikipedia's article - Precipitation (meteorology)

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.

---

Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski