Question

Define conventional rainfall?

Answer 1

Conventional rainfall:

1. Convectional rainfall seems to occur when the heated air from the earth’s surface rises upwards along with the water vapor & gets condensed when it reaches a higher altitude. Here the clouds carrying the water vapor are not carried away by the wind and hence, it rains in the same place.
2. Due to this reason, convectional rainfall is seen to be limited to the equatorial calm belt.
3. Convectional Rainfall – Major Characteristics
   1. The air on getting heated seems to become light and rises in convection currents.
   2. As this air rises, it generally expands and then drops the temperature and subsequently, condensation takes place and cumulus clouds are formed.
   3. Heavy rainfall with lightning & thunder also takes place which does not last long.
   4. This rain is usually in the summer or the hotter part of the day.
   5. Such type of rainfall is seen in the equatorial regions and internal parts of the continents, mainly in the northern hemisphere.
   6. This rainfall is also generally associated with hail and graupel.