More about rain ... and clouds

The Sun warms the ground, which warms the air. Currents of air rises. The rising air cools, the water vapour condenses to form clouds. If too heavy, then it rains.

• Relief rainfall

• Convectional rainfall

• Frontal rainfall

Warm air blows in from ocean. It is forced to rise because of the high hills or mountains. As it rises it cools, water vapour condenses to form clouds. If it gets too heavy it rains.

• Convectional rainfall

• Frontal rainfall

• Relief rainfall

When an warm and cold air masses meet, the warm air mass is pushed up. As the warm air rises, it cools and the water vapour condenses, forming clouds. When it gets heavy it rains.

• Frontal rainfall

• Convectional rainfall

• Relief rainfall

This type of cloud is formed by fast rising warm air. It grows vertically. They look like a heap of cotton wool, and fluffy. It usually means fair weather. They form below 2km in the sky.

• Stratus clouds

• Cumulus clouds

• Cumulonimbus clouds

• Cirrus clouds

These clouds form when two air masses meet. It grow horizontally. It looks like a blanket of white. It does not have a distinct edge, but the edge is fuzzy. It is also a low cloud forming below 2km in the sky.

• Cumulonimbus cloud

• Cumulus cloud

• Stratus cloud

• Cirrus cloud

In the 3 types of rain, frontal rain, relief rain, and convectional rain, what is the common factor for clouds forming and subsequently rain to occur.

• The Sun warms the ground.

• The warm and cold air masses meet.

• The mountain in the path of the wind.

• The warm air rises and cools.

Relief rainfall is caused by the warm air being pushed up a mountain range. Why is it called 'relief'?

• Because it reliefs it from its heavy burden.

• Because it brings relief to the farmers below.

• Because relief is a word in geography that means describes how the height of the land changes.

• Because cool rain is a relief in the hot climate.