PRECIPITATION
TYPES OF PRECIPITATION ACCORDING TO LIFTING MECHANISM
NAME: YOUSAF KHAN
ROLL NO: 2018-CE-01
SUBJECT: ENGINEERING HYDROLOGY
SUBJECT INCHARGE: SIR MUDASSER MUNEER
SEMESTER: 6TH
MARCH 16, 2021
BAHAUDDIN ZAKARIYA UNIVERSITY, MULTAN.
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
Table of Contents
Precipitation .............................................................................................................................. 2
Precipitation is all form of water that reaches the earth surface form atmosphere. Precipitation
can be in solid form or in liquid form. The usual forms of precipitation are rainfall, snow, hail,
frost, dew etc. .................................................................................................................................. 2
Precipitation is the basic input to the Hydrology. ................................................................. 2
Factors determining precipitation or the amount of atmospheric moisture over a region. ................. 2
Climate ...................................................................................................................................... 2
Geography ................................................................................................................................. 2
Types of Precipitation Based on Lifting Mechanism ...................................................................... 3
Convectional Precipitation ......................................................................................................... 4
What causes Convectional Precipitation ................................................................................ 4
Characteristics of Convectional Precipitation ................................................................ 6
Orographic Precipitation ............................................................................................................ 6
Causes of Orographic Precipitation ................................................................................ 6
Characteristics of Orographic Precipitation ................................................................... 6
Cyclonic precipitation ................................................................................................................ 8
Characteristics of Cyclonic Precipitation ...................................................................... 10
Difference Of Types of Precipitation ................................................................................................ 11
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Precipitation
Precipitation is all form of water that reaches the earth surface form
atmosphere. Precipitation can be in solid form or in liquid form. The
usual forms of precipitation are rainfall, snow, hail, frost, dew etc.
Precipitation is the basic input to the Hydrology.
Factors determining precipitation or the amount of atmospheric
moisture over a region.
Climate
Geography
Ocean Surfaces are the chief source of moisture for Precipitation.
Precipitation is an important part of water cycle.
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Types of Precipitation Based on Lifting
Mechanism
Although moisture is always present in the atmosphere but it
is condensed only when air is cooled and saturated with some
water vapors. Usually mechanism by which air is cooled to cause
precipitation is the lifting of air mass. Precipitation is often classified
according to the factor responsible for lifting of air to higher
altitudes. Following are the various types of precipitation based on
this classification.
1. Convectional Precipitation
2. Orographic Precipitation
3. Cyclonic Precipitation
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Convectional Precipitation
It is due to the upward movement of warm air. Generally this type of
precipitation occurs in tropical region, where in hot days, the ground
surface is heated unequally, and causing the warmer air to lift up as
the colder air comes to take its place. The vertical air currents
develop tremendous velocities and are dangerous for aircrafts.
The main cause of Convectional precipitation is thermal convection
of the moisture laden air (rising of warmer, lighter air in colder,
denser surroundings).
What causes Convectional Precipitation
A major portion of the solar radiation is utilized in heating the
earth. As the earth conducts heat slowly, the heat
accumulates at the surface of the earth and air which comes
in its contact is heated up and the lapse rate near the surface
of the earth increases rapidly. With the passage of time as the
sun gets higher and higher the lapse rate increases further
and air becomes unstable.
Vertical currents are then set up which carry heat and the
moisture laden air is picked up from the surface to higher
levels. Due to convection, the moist air in the lower levels of
the atmosphere rises up to the condensation level where
clouds develop and with further convection these clouds finally
grow resulting in a thunderstorm.
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Characteristics of Convectional Precipitation
Precipitation occurs in the form of showers of high intensities
and short duration،
In summer most parts of Pakistan gets this type of
precipitation.
Convective precipitation is spotty, and its intensity vary from light
showers to cloud bursts.
In summer most parts of Pakistan gets this type of precipitation.
Orographic Precipitation
This type of precipitation is caused by air masses striling some
natural topographic barriers like mountains. As it cannot move
forward it rises up causing condensation and precipitation.
Causes of Orographic Precipitation
In the orographic precipitation, expansion and condensation
occurs because moisture laden air masses are lifted by
contact with orographic (mountain) barriers.
Characteristics of Orographic Precipitation
This type of precipitation is most pronounced on the windward
side of mountain range, generally heaviest precipitation occurs
where favorable orographic effects are present.
Orographic precipitation also occurs in the inland areas where
mountain ranges rise above the surrounding areas in the path
of the moisture laden air masses.
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The greater amount of precipitation falls on the windward side.
Orographic barriers tend to increase both cyclones and
orographic precipitation because of the lifting of air.
Rainfall is composed of steady rainfall.
Southern slope of the Himalayas is a good example of this
kind.
Similarly, winds coming from ocean strike the western slopes
of coastal ranges causing heavy rains.
All three types of precipitations occur due to lifting of air.
OROGRAPHIC LIFTING
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Cyclonic precipitation
Cyclonic precipitation is caused by the lifting of an air mass because
of the pressure difference. If low pressure occurs at an area, air will flow
horizontally from the surrounding area, causing the air at the low-
pressure area to lift. Cyclone is a type of atmospheric disturbance by
mass of air circulating clockwise in southern and anticlockwise in
northern hemispheres.
Precipitation in plain regions is generally cyclonic in character.
Cyclonic precipitation results from the lifting of air converging into a
low-pressure area or cyclone.
Cyclonic precipitation can be Frontal or Non-Frontal.
Frontal Precipitation:
When two air masses, because of contrasting densities and
temperatures, clash with each other, precipitation and
condensation, occur in the surface of contact.
The surface of contact is called a ‘Front‘ OR ‘Frontal Surface,’ and
the precipitation is called Frontal Precipitation.
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When a cold air mass drives out a warm air mass, it is called a ‘Cold
Front,’ and if a warm air mass replaces the retreating cold air mass,
it is called a ‘Warm Front.’
On the other hand, if both air masses are drawn simultaneously
towards a low-pressure area, the front developed is stationary and
is called a ‘Stationary Front.’
Cold Front causes intense precipitation in comparatively small
areas, while the precipitation due to the warm front is less intense
but is spread over a comparatively larger area. Cold fronts move
faster than warm fronts.
Non-Frontal Precipitation:
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In the case of non-frontal precipitation, the moist warm air mass is
stationary, and the moving cold air mass meets it.
Thus, due to the lightness of the warm air mass, there is a passive
ascent of warm air over cold air owing to this active undercutting.
When this lifted warm air cools down at higher altitude,
precipitation occurs.
Characteristics of Cyclonic Precipitation
Cyclone is also a violently rotating wind storm.
It is a large whirling mass all converging into a low pressure
area, air will flow horizontally from surrounding area, causing
air in the low pressure area to lift. The precipitation that results
is called non-frontal cyclonic precipitation.
If one air mass passes over another air mass, the precipitation
is frontal cyclonic precipitation.
The air rushes horizontally into the low pressure area
changing into whirling mass because of rotary motion of the
earth about its own axis. This cyclone is very large mass of air
ranging from 800 to 1600km in diameter and moving with a
velocity of 50 km/hr.
The cyclonic precipitation occurs in the form of drizzle,
intermediate rain or steady rain.
Precipitation caused by cold front is intense and of short
duration.
Precipitation caused by warm front is more continuous.
Occurrence of Cyclonic Precipitation
In the Indo-Pak Subcontinent, the cyclonic
storms form in the Bay of Bengal in different months. During
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April, May and June most of these storms do not reach
Pakistan. But some of them affect Bangladesh and give very
heavy rainfall there. During the summer monsoon season, the
cyclonic storms reach Pakistan and are fed with moisture from
the Arabian sea resulting in heavy rainfall over the Northern
areas of Pakistan. In September, October and November
these storms are very destructive in Bangladesh. Such storms
cause considerable loss of life and property over the coastal
districts. Cyclonic storms also form in Arabian sea but their
number is far less.
Difference Of Types of Precipitation
Convectional Orographic Cyclonic
Precipitation Precipitation Precipitation
1. Rainfall caused by the vertical Rainfall caused by Rainfall caused due
ascent of moisture laden the presence of an to the condensation
wind. upland such as hill or that happens when a
mountain on the cold front meets a
path of the moisture warm front.
laden wind.
2. Heavy downpour Heavy Convectional rainfall
accompanied with thunder downpour in the at larger scale.
and lightening. windward side and
low or no rain the
leeward side.
3. It occurs during summer in It occurs all the year. It occurs all the year.
mostly plain areas.
4. Precipitation occurs with high Precipitation occurs Precipitation occurs
intensity. with steady rainfall. with intermediate
rain
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