Types Of Rainfall

Relief refers to the vertical difference in elevation within a specific area, such as mountains. Altitude refers to height above a reference point, gradient is the rate of inclination or decline, and a plateau is a flat-topped elevated landform.

Ground is heated by the sun through convection where heat is transferred through the movement of fluids (in this case, air) from a warmer region to a cooler region.

When warm air meets colder air which rises over colder heavier air, it creates a front. Frontal weather systems typically bring precipitation.

Relief rainfall is caused by air being forced to rise over relief features such as mountains. Convective rainfall, on the other hand, is caused by the heating of the Earth's surface leading to the convection of air and subsequent rainfall.

Convectional rainfall occurs when the sun heats the Earth's surface, causing warm air to rise rapidly and cool quickly, leading to the formation of rain clouds and intense downpours in localized areas. Frontal rainfall occurs when a warm air mass meets a cold air mass, causing the warm air to rise and cool, resulting in continuous rainfall over a larger area. Orographic rainfall is caused by moist air being forced to rise over a mountain range, leading to the formation of clouds and rain on the windward side of the mountain. Cyclonic rainfall is associated with the movement of air masses around low-pressure systems, resulting in prolonged periods of precipitation over a wide area.

Frontal rainfall occurs when a warm air mass is lifted over a colder air mass, leading to condensation and precipitation. Convectional, Orographic, and Cyclonic rainfall have different causes and mechanisms.