Precipitation: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Oct. 25, 2026

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What can we expect from El Niño? Scientists say brace for the worst. • Oct. 17, 2026, 8:01 AM ET (The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Photos and Videos

A vertical rain shaft descends over the sea during a colorful tropical sunset, with silhouetted hills and coastline at Man-of-War Bay, Tobago.

frozen precipitation

Diagram showing orographic lift, where moist air rises up the green, windward side of a mountain, cools and forms clouds with precipitation, while the opposite, brown lee side remains dry in the rain shadow.

Map of North America color-coded to show average annual precipitation levels, with drier regions in shades of orange and yellow across the western interior and Arctic areas, and wetter regions in shades of green along the Pacific Northwest coast, southeastern United States, Central America, and the Caribbean islands. Major cities such as Seattle, Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, New York, and Panama City are labeled. A legend indicates precipitation amounts ranging from 200 millimeters (8 inches) t

Thematic map of the Guinea Coast region in West Africa showing the distribution of major ethnic groups and average annual rainfall. Coastal and southern areas, including parts of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon, are shaded in green and purple to indicate higher rainfall, while northern and inland regions are shaded in yellow and orange for lower rainfall. Major ethnic groups such as Temne, Mende, Yoruba, Igbo, and Ashanti are labeled within their respective reg

Map of Europe and the Caucasus showing average annual precipitation using shaded color bands ranging from pale yellow for low rainfall to dark green for areas with the highest rainfall. Western coastal regions, including parts of the British Isles and Norway, display the darkest green for the highest precipitation, while much of Eastern Europe and Russia are light yellow, indicating lower rainfall. Major cities such as London, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, and Rome are labeled for reference.

Global distribution of mean annual rainfall (in centimetres).

Two world maps display projected changes in precipitation from 1980-99 to 2090-99 for December-February and June-August. Color gradients indicate percent change: blue for increased precipitation, brown for decreased precipitation, and white for areas with unclear change. Notable patterns include increased precipitation in high northern latitudes and decreased precipitation across much of the subtropics and Mediterranean regions.

Graph depicting the influence of El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on rainfall produced by the Indian summer monsoon. During years when ENSO is active, monsoon-driven precipitation over India often declines.

Graph of monsoon rainfall in India, 1871–1981. Annual rainfall amounts are depicted as percentages departing from the 110-year average. The red line superimposed on the graph suggests a recurring trend over this time period.

A large window looking at a forested exterior, four hand-drawn blue raindrops, and a hand holding a phone displaying a pie chart showing a 60% chance of partly cloudy skies, and a 40% chance of rain.

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Topics

Rain Snow Does it rain on other planets?Aerosol Hail Orographic precipitation Sleet Fog drip raindrop snowflake Fog Cloud Frost Dew drought Mist Haze evapotranspiration Hydrometeor Weather forecasting

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