Facts about Rain

On average, raindrops are one to two mm in diameter.

The shape of raindrops was studied by Philipp Lenard in 1898.

Almost every day in the winter the Greater Vancouver Area is plummeted by rain.

The biggest raindrops on Earth were recorded over Brazil and the Marshall Islands in 2004—some of them were as large as ten mm.

Areas along the western coasts (including those in Ireland) can receive between 40 inches (sea-level) and 100 inches (mountains) of rain per year.

gutters and storm drains that lead rains to sewers.

The source of this scent is petrichor, an oil produced by plants, then absorbed by rocks and soil, and later released into the air during rainfall.

Falling raindrops are often depicted in cartoons or anime as "teardrop-shaped"—round at the bottom and narrowing towards the top—but this is incorrect.

The reputation is partly deserved because of the frequency of rain driven into the country by the south-western trade winds following the warm gulf stream currents.

At sea level and without wind, 0.5 mm rain drizzle impacts at about two m/s, while large five mm drops impact at around nine m/s.

The scientific explanation of how rain forms and falls is called the Bergeron process.

Rain is hated in Vancouver by many residents, though they still tend to live there because the sky is usually sunny during the Summer.

Melbourne, Australia has a similar reputation, in comparison to Sydney, Australia—however, Sydney receives an average of 43.1 inches (1094 mm) of rain per year compared to Melbourne's 21.4 inches (544 mm).

Rain is said to be heavier immediately after a bolt of lightning.

The fine particulate matter produced by car exhaust and other human sources of pollution form cloud condensation nuclei, leading to the production of clouds and increasing the likelihood of rain.

Many people also prefer to stay inside on rainy days, especially in tropical climates where rain is usually accompanied by thunderstorms or when rain is extremely heavy (monsoon).

Many people find the scent during and immediately after rain especially pleasant or distinctive.

Cultural attitudes towards rain differ across the world.

All plants need at least some water to survive, therefore rain (being the most effective means of watering) is important to agriculture.

One city that is known for rain is Seattle, Washington, United States.

Seattle's average rainfall is 37.1 inches (942 mm) per year, less than New York City with 46.2 inches (1173 mm), but has 201 cloudy days per year (compared to 152 in New York).

Rain may be harvested, though rainwater is rarely pure (as acid rain occurs naturally), or used as greywater.

Rain is common in the winter, but mostly the climate is cloudy with little rain.

A country noted for its rainy nature is the United Kingdom.

Rain forms when separate drops of water fall to the Earth's surface from clouds.

Rain is a form of precipitation—other forms of which include snow, sleet, and hail.

Vancouver, British Columbia could be considered the world's capital of rain, despite having some snow during special periods, receiving as much as 40 mm at one time.

Rain can also and always will be to some people very depressing due to bleak clouds.

Raindrops impact at their terminal velocity, which is greater for larger drops.

Precipitation, especially rain, has a dramatic effect on agriculture.

Rain below pH 5.6 is considered acid rain.

Excessive rain, particularly after a dry period has hardened the soil so that it cannot absorb water, can cause floods.

Plants need varying amounts of rainfall to survive.

The amount of rainfall is measured using a rain gauge.

Light, or sometimes heavy rain is sometimes also seen as romantic.