INTRODUCTION TO CLOUD PHYSICS:

DISTRIBUTION

REPORTER: TINGOSIA, MARC KRISTOFER D. BSCE-III

TYPES OF PRECIPITATION

1. Rain
2. Snow
3. Sleet (Ice Pellets)
4. Freezing
5. Hail
6. Drizzle
7. Sun Shower
8. Snow Grains
9. Diamond Dust
Rain
Is any liquid that drops from the clouds in the sky. Rain is
described as water droplets of 0.5 mm or larger.

Snow
Occurs almost every time there is rain. However, snow often
melts before it reaches the earth surface. It is precipitation in
the form of virga or flakes of ice water falling from the
clouds.

Sleet
Takes place in freezing atmospheric conditions. Sleet, also
known as ice pellets, form when snow falls into a warm layer
then melts into rain and then the rain droplets falls into a
freezing layer of air that is cold enough to refreeze the
raindrops into ice pellets.
Freezing Rain
Happens when rain falls during below freezing
conditions/temperatures. This normally results in the solidification
of rain droplets.

Hail
Are big balls and irregular lumps of ice that fall from large
thunderstorms. Hail is purely a solid precipitation. Hailstones are
mostly made up of water ice and measure between 0.2 inches
(5 millimeters) and 6 inches (15 centimeters) in diameter. This
ranges in size of a pea’s diameter to that larger than a
grapefruit.

Drizzle
Is very light rain. It is stronger than mist but less than a shower.
Mist is a thin fog with condensation near the ground. Fog is
made up of ice crystals or cloud water droplets suspended in
the air near or at the earth’s surface. Drizzle droplets are
smaller than 0.5 millimeters (0.02 inches) in diameter.
Sun Shower
Is a precipitation event that is registered when rain falls
while the sun shines. It occurs when the winds bearing rain
together with rain storms are blown several miles away, thus
giving rise to raindrops into an area without clouds.

Snow Grains
Are as very small white and opaque grains of ice. Snow
grains are fairly flat and have diameter generally less than
1mm.

Diamond Dust
Are extremely small ice crystals usually formed at low levels
and at temperatures below -30 °C. Diamond dust got its
name from the sparkling effect which is created when light
reflects on the ice crystals in the air.
RAINFALL RATE
Rainfall intensity is classified according to the rate of
precipitation, which depends on the considered time:

Light rain — when the precipitation rate is < 2.5 mm

(0.098 in) per hour.
Moderate rain — when the precipitation rate is between
2.5 mm (0.098 in) - 7.6 mm (0.30 in) or 10 mm (0.39 in) per
hour.
Heavy rain — when the precipitation rate is > 7.6 mm
(0.30 in) per hour, or between 10 mm (0.39 in) and 50 mm
(2.0 in) per hour.
Violent rain — when the precipitation rate is > 50 mm
(2.0 in) per hour.
WEATHER MODIFICATION
WEATHER MODIFICATION
Weather modification is the act of intentionally
manipulating or altering the weather. The most
common form of weather modification is
cloud seeding to increase rain or snow, usually
for the purpose of increasing the local water
supply.
CLOUD SEEDING
Is a type of weather modification that aims to change
the amount or type of precipitation that falls
from clouds, by dispersing substances into the air that
serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei, which alter
the microphysical processes within the cloud. The usual
intent is to increase precipitation (rain or snow), but
hail and fog suppression are also widely practiced in
airports, where harsh weather conditions are
experienced.
Commonly used compounds in cloud
seeding:
1. Potassium Iodide
2. Calcium Chloride
3. Dry Ice or Carbon Dioxide
4. Silver Iodide