precipitation
...c energy. When there is less kinetic energy, the temperature drops. This cooling produces condensation, which develops clouds. As the cloud gets higher it grows, as long as the air remains warmer than it's surroundings. Once the cloud becomes saturated with condensation precipitation will occur. Orographic Precipitation is when air blowing against hills or mountains the air is forced upward and reaches a region of lower pressure, which causes the air to expand and cool. This causes condensation to occur when the air reaches the dew point temperature. Rain clouds form on the windward side and upper parts of the hill or mountain" (www.ag.ohio-state.edu). More About Forms of Precipitation Precipitation may take many different forms. There are 11 different forms of precipitation. These 11 forms are different in some ways, but similar because they are all different forms of moisture that fall to the ground. Liquid Precipitation falls to the earth in liquid form, but in most cases was frozen inside the cloud and melted on its way down to the surface. The four different types of liquid precipitation are: Rain: Drops of water Drizzle: Drops of water that are .5mm in diameter Dew: Condensation of water vapor on a cool surface. Fog-Dip: Condensation of fog droplets on vegetation. Solid Precipitation falls to the earth in solid form. This occurs when the temperature of the surface is below freezing, with one exception, hail. The seven different types of solid precipita...