Rain 101: Meet the Types of Rain!

Not All Rain Is the Same! Rain is essential to life on earth, but learn the science behind different types of rain and what causes them. Have a curious mind? Hemantkumar Shivsharan introduces the different types of baarish!

Convectional Rainfall

This precipitation occurs when the sun's heat warms the earth's surface, causing warm air to rise, cool and condense into clouds, leading to rain. 

• Leads to short, intense showers, common in tropical areas like India or Africa
• Usually in the afternoon

Frontal Or Cyclonic Rainfall

• Happens when warm and cold air masses meet.
• Warm air rises over cold air, forms clouds, and it rains.
• Common in temperate zones with low-pressure systems.
• Can last for days.

Orographic Or Relief Rainfall

• Moist air is forced up by mountains.
• Air is forced upwards, cools, and causes rain on the windward side.
• Causes heavy rainfall.
• Seen in the Western Ghats, Andes, Rockies and other ranges.

Drizzle

• Very light rain with tiny water droplets.
• Falls from low, grey clouds (stratus).
• Often feels like mist.
• Rain rate: less than 0.5 mm/hour.

Rain Showers

• Sudden, short bursts of rain.
• Caused by cumulus or cumulonimbus clouds -- short in duration but can be heavy.

Freezing Rain

Rain falls as liquid but freezes on contact with cold surfaces.
Forms a sheet of glazed ice.
Extremely dangerous for transport and power lines.
Happens when the surface temperature is below 0°C.

Acid Rain

• Rain mixed with pollutants (SO₂, NOx).
• Falls as weak sulphuric/nitric acid.
• Caused by industrial emissions mixing with rain.
• Damages buildings, crops, forests, and aquatic life.

Torrential Rain

Very heavy rain falling continuously.
Often linked to monsoons, cyclones, hurricanes.
High risk of flooding and landslides.
Rainfall: >30 mm/hour.