Rainfall begins when water from oceans, rivers, lakes, and soil evaporates due to the Sun’s heat. The water vapor rises into the atmosphere, where the air becomes cooler.

 

How Does Rainfall Form?

Rainfall begins when water from oceans, rivers, lakes, and soil evaporates due to the Sun’s heat. The water vapor rises into the atmosphere, where the air becomes cooler.

As the water vapor cools, it condenses into tiny water droplets around small particles such as dust and salt in the air. These droplets come together to form clouds.

Inside the cloud, the tiny droplets collide and combine, becoming larger and heavier. When the droplets become too heavy for the air to keep them suspended, they fall toward the ground as rainfall.

Evaporation → Condensation → Cloud Formation → Droplet Growth → Rainfall