Precipitation

Precipitation

Various characteristics of precipitation affect the potential for crop production, losses of water, sediment, and contaminants, and the design of management practices to reduce environmental impacts.

• Annual amount: the total precipitation received at a location in one year. Variation over many years is characterized by the maximum, mean, and minimum of the sample distribution.
• Seasonal distribution and relation to evaporative potential: the annual precipitation is distributed differently among the months of the year at different geopgraphic locations (e.g. east coast vs. west coast, or seacoast vs. continental interior). While this may influence growing seasons, it also interacts with the potential evapotranspiration.
• Intensity, duration, and frequency: different weather patterns generate precipitation events having characteristic intensity and duration profiles. A passing warm front, for example, often brings a long gentle rain, whereas a cold front often brings a brief but intense storm.
• Raindrop size distribution: the size of raindrops, which are actually melted snow, depends on the strength of updrafts and the temperature and humidity of the air through which they fall, among other factors.
• Phase (snow or rain)