5.1.6

Precipitation

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Precipitation

Precipitation is not just rain! It includes snow, sleet, drizzle, hail, dew etc.

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Types of precipitation

  • In addition to rain, precipitation refers to snow, sleet, drizzle, hail, dew etc.
  • The amount and duration of precipitation can affect events
    • E.g. Wimbledon and Glastonbury Festival.
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Measuring precipitation

  • Meteorologists measure precipitation using a rain gauge.
  • Rain is recorded in millimetres (mm) or even metres per hour, day, month or year.
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Precipitation records

  • A part of the Atacama desert in South America has received no rainfall in recorded history.
  • A ridge called Crib Goch on Snowdon in Wales had the highest monthly total rainfall in December 2015 at 1,396.4 mm.
  • La Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean received 1,825 mm in 24 hours in 1966.
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Meghalaya's precipitation

  • Meghalaya is a state in Northeast India which has the highest rainfall in the world.
  • Cherrapunj (a town in Meghalaya) once had more than nine metres of rain in a single month and more than 26 metres of rain in a single year.

Jump to other topics

1Geography Skills

2Geology of the UK

3Geography of the World

4Development

5Weather & Climate

6The World of Work

7Natural Resources

8Rivers

9Coasts

10Glaciers

11Tectonics

12Climate Change

13Global Population & Inequality

14Urbanisation

15Ecosystems

16Life in an Emerging Country

17Analysis of Africa

18Analysis of India

19Analysis of the Middle East

20Analysis of Bangladesh

21Analysis of Russia

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