Theory question 205
Weather(a) Name the three types of rainfall (b) With the aid of relevant diagrams describe the formation and characteristics of any two types named in (a) above
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(a) Convectional, relief (orographic) and cyclonic (frontal).
(b) Convectional: strong heating of the ground makes moist air rise, cool, condense into cumulonimbus clouds and give heavy showers; afternoon thunderstorms with lightning, short-lived, common in equatorial regions.
Relief: moist wind forced to rise over a mountain, cools and condenses; heavy rain on the windward side; dry, warm rain-shadow on the leeward side (Mt Cameroon, Jos Plateau).
Frontal: warm air rises over cold air along a front in a depression; long periods of steady rain/drizzle; common in temperate latitudes.
Diagrams with arrows for air movement.
Each type needs a labelled diagram.