Types of Rainfall

Depending on the different atmospheric conditions, rainfall may be of the following types:

1. Cyclonic Rainfall

This type of rainfall is caused by the difference of pressure within the air mass on the earth’s surface. If low pressure is generated somewhere, warm moist air rushes with violent forces from the adjacent area to the low-pressure zone. 

The heated moist air rises up with the circular motion and gets condensed at the higher altitude, and finally, heavy rainfall occurs. 

2. Frontal Rainfall

It is a type of cyclonic rainfall. When the moving warm moist air mass is blocked by the zone of the cold air mass, the warm moist air rises up (as it is lighter than cold air mass) to a higher altitude where it gets cooled adiabatically to form a cloud and ultimately heavy rainfall occurs.

3. Non-frontal rainfall

It is also a kind of cyclonic rainfall. When a mass of warm moist air rushes from the surrounding zone to the lower pressure zone, a pocket is formed, and the warm moist air rises to a higher altitude like a chimney. 

At higher altitudes, it gets cooled adiabatically to form a cloud. Rainfall caused by such clouds is known as non-frontal rainfall.

4. Convective Rainfall

In tropical countries, when the ground surface is unevenly heated, especially on hot days, warm air rises to high altitudes and cold air takes its place with high velocity.  

Thus, at high altitude, the warm, moist air mass condenses and causes heavy rainfall. This is called convective rainfall.

5. Orographic Rainfall

When the moving warm moist air is barred by some mountain, then it rises up to a high altitude along the mountain slope. 

At the high altitude, it gets condensed and heavy rainfall occurs. This type of rainfall is called orographic rainfall.

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