Does moisture actually have to fall to the ground to be classified as "precipitation"?
2007-05-04 03:07:50 · 10 answers · asked by mcmaddox_2000 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
You have asked two different questions.
1) No. Clouds are not precipitation
2) No. Precipitation does not have to reach the ground. If it does not, it is called virga.
But precipitation does have to fall. It simply is not required to hit the ground.
2007-05-04 03:12:44 · answer #1 · answered by dogsafire 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Clouds themselves are not precipitation, however, when a cloud grows so large precipitation falls from them.
Yes, Moisture that actually falls to the ground is called precipitation. A cloud is just water vapor in the sky.
2007-05-04 12:01:52 · answer #2 · answered by Weather nut 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The water cycle has different stage the firts one is the evaporation when the sun heat the water and turn into water vapor, then the condentation when this water vapor turn into liquid and form a cloud when this coul can hold no more water, occur the precipitation, This water fall into the earth in diffrent forms water, snow sleet or hail. So precipitation is any form of water particles that FALL form the atmospehre and reaches the ground.
2007-05-04 03:21:38 · answer #3 · answered by diana s 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, moisture must fall from the cloud AND ACCUMLATE on earth's surface to be considered precipitation. If it doesn't reach the ground, it would be considered subsidence (the downdrafts of water vapor). Clouds themselves are considered Condensation.
2007-05-04 07:10:29 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Clouds are not precipitation and percipitation does not have to fall completely to the ground to be considered percipitation
2007-05-07 11:20:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cumulonimbus clouds spread across almost the entire troposphere (the part of the atmosphere that we live in, and causes nearly all weather) Cumulonimbus are high middle and low at the same time water condensation accumulates around a dust particle until the atmosphere can no longer hold it afloat temperature N/A
2016-05-20 03:49:50 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes clouds are precipitation and no for the latter, just think of humidity
2007-05-04 03:13:04 · answer #7 · answered by Tutto Bene 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the answer to ur question is no. i got this lil extract from the bbc weather page. u can go there for more information. http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/weatherwise/factfiles/basics/precipitation_whatis.shtml
Precipitation is the name we give any moisture that falls from the air to the ground and includes snow, sleet, hail, and drizzle as well as rain. (Fog, mist and haze are not precipitation)
2007-05-04 03:20:46 · answer #8 · answered by shine 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm pretty sure that fog, mist, sleet, snow, and rain are precipitation, but clouds are not.
2007-05-04 03:12:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes and yes
2007-05-04 04:02:45 · answer #10 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋