1.

Briefly explain the following forms of precipitation :

a. Rain
Rain is a moisture condensed from the atmosphere that falls visibly in separate drops
or briefly it is liquid water in the form of droplets that have condensed from
atmospheric water vapor and then precipitated, then that is become heavy enough to
fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and it is responsible
for deposit most of the fresh water on the earth. The cause of rain production is
moisture moving along three dimensional zones of temperatures and moisture
contrast, if enough moisture and upward motion is present, precipitation falls from the
clouds which can organize into narrow rains. In mountainous areas, heavy
precipitation is possible where the up slope is maximized within wind sides of the
terrain at elevation which forces moist air to condense and fall out as rainfall along
sides of mountain. The urban heat island leads to increased rainfall, both in amounts
and intensity. Global warming is also caused changes in the precipitation pattern
globally.
b. Snow
Snow is atmospheric water vapors frozen into ice crystals and falling in light white
flakes or lying on the ground as a white layer or in briefly it is a precipitation in the
form of small white ice crystals formed directly from the water vapors of air at a
temperature of less than 0o C. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is
granular material. It is soft, white and fluffy. The process of precipitating snow is
called snowfall. Snowfall tends to form within regions of upward movement of air
around a type of low pressure system. Snow can be categorized as powdery when
light and fluffy but heavier when it begins the cycle of melting and refreezing and
eventually becomes ice once it come down, after multiple melting and refreezing
cycles.

c. Sleet

Sleet is a precipitation in the form of ice pellets created by the freezing of rain as it
falls. Rain that fall from clouds but freezes before it reached the ground is called
sleet. Sleet is prevalent than freezing rain and it is defined as frozen raindrops or sleet
is a term that refers to the two forms of precipitation which is rain and snow mixed.
Once the snows begin to fall it encounters a shallow layer of warm air and partially
melts. The partially melted snows enter the deep cold layer it refreeze into ice pellet
and become sleet. Sleet is more difficult to forecast than freezing rain because it is
formed under more specialized atmospheric conditions. It is very similar to freezing
rain that it caused surface to become very slippery. It is also different that it is not
clear as glass and can be easily visible.
d. Hail
Hail is a type of precipitation which is the pellets or small balls of ice of frozen rain
which fall in showers from cloud. Hail is caused by, during the day, the ground is
heated by the sun. Eventually the warmer air moves up into the air and cools down.
Hot air rises because it is less dense than cool air. While it is rising and cooling down,
it is not able to hold as much moisture as when it starts. Eventually, the water vapors
condensed, forming the cloud when hail originates. As the water condensed, it
releases heat in the surrounding. The air starts to rise faster and produce more
moisture, due to condensation process. Hail was formed where the cloud has retained
some moisture. This is called super cooled liquid because at the freezing point, it still
remained in liquid form. This super cooled water need something on which to freeze
and it will attach to frozen raindrops, when this element combine, hail is formed.
e. Mist
Mist is a phenomenon caused by small cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the
atmosphere at or near the earth surface that limits visibility. Mist usually occurs near
the shores and often associated with fog. Mist can be high as mountain tops when
extreme temperature is low. It can occur as part of natural weather and is common in
cold air above warmer water. When it is seen from distance, mist is bluish.
2. With the aid of sketch, differentiate the three types of precipitation.

a. Convective Precipitation

Convective occurs from the heating of the earth surface, the warm ground heat the
air over it. As the air warms, the air molecules begin to move further apart. With
increased distance between molecules, the molecules are less densely packed.
Thus, air become lighter and rise rapidly into the atmosphere. As the air rises, it
cool and water vapors in the air condensed into cloud and precipitation.
Convective precipitation falls over a certain area for a relatively short time.

b. Orographic Precipitation
Orographic precipitation produced when moist air is lifted as it moves over a
topographic barrier such as mountain. As the air rises and cools, orographic
clouds forms and caused precipitation. It is because of the orographic ascent of air
masses, rich in moisture content because of their long travel over oceans.

c. Cyclonic Precipitation
Cyclonic precipitation occurs due to the leading edge of the warm air masses
meets a cool air mass, the warm air masses rises above the cool air mass. It is then
cool and the moisture condenses, clouds are formed and result a cyclonic
precipitation.