Question

What is convectional rainfall?

Answer 1

Convectional rainfall occurs when the heated air from the earth’s surface rises upwards along with the water vapour and gets condensed when it reaches a higher altitude. Here the clouds carrying the water vapour are not carried away by the wind and hence, it rains in the same place. Due to this, convectional rainfall is limited to the equatorial calm belt.

Characteristics

• The air on getting heated becomes light and rises in convection currents.
• As the air rises, it expands and drops the temperature and subsequently, condensation takes place and cumulus clouds are formed.
• Heavy rainfall with lightning and thunder takes place which does not last long.
• Such rain is usually in the summer or the hotter part of the day.
• This type of rainfall generally takes place in the equatorial regions and internal parts of the continents, predominantly in the northern hemisphere.
• This rainfall is usually associated with hail and graupel