Precipitation

What is Precipitation?

Precipitation is any form of water that falls from the sky. This can be rain, snow, hail, or tiny drops called drizzle. It happens when tiny water droplets in clouds grow big enough to fall to the Earth. Precipitation is very important because it brings fresh water to plants, animals, and people.

Different Types of Precipitation

There are many fun kinds of precipitation! Rain is when water droplets become heavy enough to fall. When it is very cold, the water can freeze and fall as snow or ice pellets. Sometimes, warm air meets cold air near lakes and creates heavy snowfall called lake-effect snowfall. Even other planets can have precipitation — Titan, a moon of Saturn, has methane that falls like light rain!

How We Measure Precipitation

We measure rain or snow with a special tool called a rain gauge. Rain gauges can be made of plastic or metal. When it rains, water fills a small tube inside the gauge. In winter, rain gauges can also collect snow or freezing rain. When we cannot use rain gauges, like over the ocean, we use satellites. These satellites help us learn about how much rain or snow is falling, even where we cannot put gauges on the ground.

Why Precipitation is Important

Precipitation is very important for our planet. It helps plants grow and gives animals and people water to drink. Rain is the best way to water plants, but too much or too little rain can sometimes be tricky. Different plants need different amounts of water. For example, cacti need only small amounts of water to live. Precipitation also helps shape our world. It can fill rivers and lakes and even change the shape of the land over time.