Science glossary · New Zealand
Precipitation
Water that falls from clouds to the ground as rain, snow, sleet or hail.
Precipitation is a step in the water cycle. It happens when droplets or ice crystals in a cloud grow heavy enough to fall.
Example: Snow falling in winter is precipitation.
Lessons, worksheets, practice and tools on this: Weather and seasons.
Related words
- Evaporation: When a liquid turns into a gas, such as water into water vapor.
- Condensation: When a gas cools and turns into a liquid, such as water vapor into drops of water.
- Season: One of the four parts of the year, spring, summer, fall and winter, each with its own typical weather.