On the basis of origin, rainfall may be classified into three main types:
- The convectional rain
- Orographic or relief rain and
- Cyclonic or frontal rainfall
1) Convectional rain: The air on being heated, becomes light and rises up in convection currents. As it rises, it expands and loses heat and consequently, condensation takes place and cumulous clouds are formed. With thunder and lightening, heavy rainfall takes place but this does not last for long.
Such rain is common in the summer or in the hotter part of the day. It is very common in the equatorial regions and interior parts of the continents, particularly in the northern hemisphere.
2) Orographic rain: When the saturated air mass comes across a mountain, it is forced to ascend and as it rises, it expands; the temperature falls, and the moisture is condensed. In this sort of rain the windward slopes receive greater rainfall. After giving rain on the windward side, when these winds reach the other slope, they descend, and their temperature rises. Then their capacity to take in moisture increases and hence, these leeward slopes remain rainless and dry. The area situated on the leeward side, which gets less rainfall is known as the rain-shadow area. It is also known as the relief rain.
3) Cyclonic rainfall: These rains take place in low pressure areas where air moves from low pressure area to high pressure are a and this movement brings rainfall.
