Well i already know the 3 types of precipitation which are Relief, Frontal and Convectional but i need to know, this question: In each case, something happens to a mass of moist air.What is it that happens? What are the 3 different causes.
2007-03-12 06:50:27 · 1 answers · asked by AustinRivers 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
Precipitation is produced whenever moist air rises sufficiently to produce saturation, condensation, and the growth of the precipitation particles.
In convectional precipitation rain or hail is generated when a heated surface causes the air above it to warm, expand, and rise.
In frontal precipitation rain, sleet, or snow is produced when warm, moist air is forced to rise over a colder, denser air mass. Less intense rainfall occurs over much larger scales when warm, moist air is lifted over a frontal surface or put in circulation around extratropical cyclones
Orographic precipitation is produced when air flowing over mountainous terrain is forced to rise. An example is the heavy precipitation that falls on the Sierra Nevadas in western North America. Moist Pacific air forced over the mountains produces up to 250 cm (100 in.) of liquid precipitation annually. As the air descends over the lee slopes and warms adiabatically, the rainfall decreases abruptly. This rain shadow effect can produce extreme variability in rainfall over short horizontal distances.
2007-03-12 07:22:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋