Precipitation is the release of water vapor from the atmosphere. It can be in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Precipitation forms when the air cools and condensation occurs.
The main types of precipitation are:
Rain – This is liquid precipitation that falls from the clouds to the ground. It is usually caused by convectional lifting of moist air masses and orographic lifting.
Snow – This is solid precipitation that falls from the clouds to the ground. Snowflakes form when water droplets freeze in cold atmospheric conditions. Sleet – This is a mix of rain and snow that falls to the ground. Hail – This is solid precipitation that falls from cumulonimbus clouds during thunderstorms. Hailstones are formed when supercooled water droplets freeze onto small pieces of ice within the cloud.