Types Of Rainfall

Question 1

Convectional rain

Describe what happens

Answer 1

The sun heats the ground which heats the air around it. As the warm air rises quickly, it cools, condenses and forms large thunder clouds and heavy rainfall.

Question 2

Relief rain

Describe what happens

Answer 2

As it is forced to rise up and over the hills, the air cools and condenses, causing rainfall on the windward side of the hill. By the time it passes over the hill it has dropped all its rain causing a rain shadow on the landward side.

Question 3

Frontal rain

Describe what happens

Answer 3

Where a cold air mass meets a warm air mass (e.g. over the Atlantic Ocean) the warm air is forced to rise. As it cools and condenses there is light rainfall. This is the most common rainfall in the uk because of our prevailing winds coming from the Atlantic Ocean.