The rainfall refers to the drops of liquid water that fall from the atmosphere to the earth's surface. This is what is commonly called rain and is characterized by providing a certain amount of water for a defined time.
Rain occurs in specific areas and at specific times of the year. The atmospheric phenomenon is part of the water cycle and is vital for the functioning of ecosystems.
Rainfall can also cause catastrophes and serious problems such as erosion. That is why meteorologists keep regular records of rainfall.
To do this, they measure the amount of rain that has fallen and its duration, through the use of rain gauges and rain gauges. This is because rainfall varies in quantity and duration, and is named accordingly.
So, rain is called to events of medium to low intensity with drops of diameter greater than 0.5 mm. Whereas if the water drops are less than 0.5 mm and the intensity is very low, it is called drizzle. While showers, showers or downpours are very intense rainfall.
The pluvial precipitation refers to the rain, that is to say to the free fall by gravity of particles of liquid water. These particles are called water droplets and they fall from the clouds in the upper part of the troposphere to the surface of the ground..
If the falling water evaporates before reaching the ground, it is not considered rain or rainfall, but is called virga.
The hydrometeors or drops of water that form the rain are characterized by being spherical or hemispherical. Although the shape varies according to the size of the drop, being spherical when they are less than 1 mm in diameter.
It is considered that there is rain when the drops exceed 0.5 mm and drizzle if they are less. If the drops are between 2 and 3 mm, their shape resembles a round bread roll.
Finally, if they exceed 4.5 mm in diameter, they tend to look like a parachute leaving a deep concavity in the center. Then they end up dispersing into smaller droplets. This is the product of the weight of the water, its surface tension, and the pressure of the air as the drop falls..
Rain originates from clouds, which are masses of condensed water that accumulate in the upper troposphere. This being the layer of the atmosphere that is in contact with the Earth's surface from 6 to 20 km of altitude.
This water comes mainly from the oceans and to a lesser extent from rivers, lakes and other sources. Here the water evaporates thanks to the heating product of solar radiation.
As the water molecules heat up, they cool down as they rise. Then, they condense around particles that are suspended in the atmosphere, usually particles of salt, humus or pollutants..
Due to the electrical charges, the liquid water particles are attracted and the condensed mass around a particle increases its weight. At a certain point, the force of gravity drags the water particles towards the Earth and the rain occurs.
Rain is determined by three factors, which are temperature, atmospheric pressure and atmospheric humidity. Temperature reflects the heat energy that causes the evaporation necessary for rain to occur.
This evaporation determines the atmospheric humidity that, when condensing, precipitates in liquid water. On the other hand, the temperature and atmospheric pressure affect the wind regime that drags and concentrates the clouds in certain areas..
All pluvial precipitation or rain is characterized by an amount, duration and intensity. That is, there is a quantity or mass of water that falls and does so in a certain period of time (duration).
While the amount of water that falls per unit of time, determines the intensity of the rain. In the case of quantity, it is established as depth or height of rain.
This is the height in millimeters (mm) that the sheet of water would reach on a horizontal surface of 1mtwo if the water didn't run off. On the other hand, the rain also has a frequency, as well as a spatial and temporal distribution.
The frequency is how often a rain of equal duration and height or quantity occurs. While the temporal distribution refers to what time of year it rains.
While the spatial distribution refers both to where it occurs, what area it occupies and what shape the storm has. Thus, the positive and negative effects of rainfall are largely determined by these factors..
Therefore, the more rain, the greater the supply of water for the aquifers, but also the greater risk of water erosion. The latter refers to the dragging of the soil layer by the water that runs off.
This is also influenced by the intensity of the rain, since a lot of water in a short time, reduces infiltration into the soil and increases runoff..
This device is used in meteorological stations to measure precipitation, both rain and snow. It consists of a container with an upper opening of known area and a lower reservoir.
When it rains, the water falls directly into the container and accumulates, then proceeding to measure the amount of water. This measurement can be by means of a graduated ruler or by determining the volume of water.
By knowing the height of the sheet of water contained in the container and the dimension of the area where it fell, the height of the water is calculated. That is, what height in millimeters the water would reach in a surface of 1 mtwo or its equivalent in liters per square meter (L / mtwo).
For this, it is taken into account that 1 liter of water when spread over 1 mtwo forms a 1 mm thick sheet. Nowadays, these devices are connected to computers that, with appropriate programs, automatically indicate the amount of precipitated water..
Unlike the previous one, the pluviograph allows to determine the duration of the rain, in addition to the amount. For this, it has a cylinder that rotates at a constant speed by threading a strip of graduated paper that passes through a pen..
The pen is connected to a float that is in the container that receives the rain. So when it starts to rain, the water level rises and the pen marks a peak on the paper.
When the rain stops, the feather keeps drawing a straight line, until a new rain event makes it rise. In such a way that it is possible to know both the amount of rain, and in what time it fell.
In the first case, it is determined by how much the line rises on the paper, while the time is given by the horizontal section of the graduated paper..
This radar is used to detect precipitation and mainly establish its location and trajectory. These radars are connected to computers with mathematical models that can give estimates of the intensity of rainfall..
Although when this term is used it refers to any rainfall, it is normally used for those of medium to low intensity.
It is a matter of very low intensity rainfall, with very small almost pulverized drops. These rains do not cause accumulations or appreciable water runoff, although sometimes their duration is considerable.
They are rains of great intensity and usually of relatively short duration, with large drops. They are frequent in tropical regions with high humidity.
These are pluvial precipitations accompanied by electrical discharges in the atmosphere.
The term refers to a type of air current or wind that occurs in the Indian Ocean and South Asia. However, it is used more frequently to refer to the rains that these winds carry in summer when they blow from south to north. They are characterized by being constant and of high intensity.
It is a meteorological phenomenon that combines strong closed circulation winds and high intensity rains. It occurs in the tropical areas of the planet and according to the intensity of winds there are different levels, such as tropical depression, tropical storm and hurricane.
In this case, precipitation occurs when masses of humid air collide with a high mountain. This causes them to rise and moisture to condense, causing rainfall.
Although somewhat similar to the previous one, this occurs when moisture-laden clouds (fog) are blown away by the wind and collide with jungles or forests. Moisture condenses on the leaves and precipitates, causing rain inside the plant formation.
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