Hi

Rainfall also geographically known as precipitation is the process by which our mother earth cools it self and the living creatures living on her maintaining the earths temperature for survival of different species

It is the process where the local air becomes saturated with water vapors due to evaporation from the water bodies and others and it starts to precipitate when it can no longer able to maintain the water vapors in their gaseous stage and comes down as snow, hale and most commonly rain.

Geographically there are 3 types of rainfall:

Conventional rainfall: It is related to convectional currents. The air becomes light and rises up in convection currents when heated. On rising the air expands and the temperature drops forming cumulus clouds. Heavy rainfall and lighting occurs but does not lasts long. It is mostly seen in the equatorial regions

Orographic rainfall: mountains play a major role in this type of precipitation. Mountains forces the saturated air mass to rise. The rising air mass expands due to drop in temperature and the water vapors condense. The windward slope gets more rainfall in this type of precipitation. After the rainfall the air when reaches the other side the temperature increases thus increasing their ability to take in moisture and hence the leeward side does not recieve no or very less rainfall.

Cyclonic rainfall: As the name suggests this rainfalls the occurs along the fronts of cyclone. It is formed when two air masses of when density, humidity and temperature meet together. The layer which separates them is called the front, when the warm front rises, it gets cold and the vapors condenses forming cyclonic clouds. This type of rains can last upto few days

Based on intensity rainfalls are

Light rain: 0 to 2.5 millimeters

Moderate rain: 2.6 to 7.6 millimeters

Heavy rain: above and beyond 7.6 millimeters

Hope this helps

So basically Rainfall is mainly divided into three types:

1.Convectional rainfall

2.Orographic or relief rainfall

3.Cyclonic or frontal rainfall

Characteristics of Convectional Rainfall:

The air heats & the lighter air rises up in convection currents,now as the air rises it expands and temperature drops and clouds fall due to condensation, rains are accompanied with heavy shower and thunder & lightning that dont last long.

Characteristics of Ornographic rainfall:

When the saturated air mass comes across a mountain, it is forced to rise.The rising air expands, eventually, the temperature falls, and the moisture gets condensed.

Characteristics of Cyclonic rainfall:

Cyclonic activity causes cyclonic rain and it occurs along the fronts of the cyclone. When two masses of air of unlike density, temperature, and humidity meet then it is formed.

Types of Rainfall based on Intensity

The types of rainfall based on intensity can be classified as:

1. Light rain – Rate of rain varies between 0 to 2.5 millimetres
2. Moderate rain – Rate of rain varies between 2.6 millimetres to 7.6 millimetres
3. Heavy rain – Rate of rain is beyond 7.6 millimetres