Facts about Rain
- 05
In 2010, scientists discovered that ice nuclei in clouds require freezing temperatures below minus 40 degrees Celsius to form rain, yet some clouds produce precipitation at warmer temperatures through collision-coalescence mechanisms.
- 04
Raindrops falling at terminal velocity reach speeds of 22 miles per hour, prevented from accelerating faster by air resistance despite gravitational pull.
- 03
Acid rain in the 1970s reduced soil pH across Scandinavia by up to 1 unit, causing widespread forest damage until sulfur dioxide emissions were regulated internationally.
- 02
Approximately 505 million tons of water evaporates from Earth's oceans daily, with much of it returning as rain within 9 days.
- 01
The wettest place on Earth, Mawsynram in India, receives approximately 467 inches of rain annually, mostly during monsoon season from June to September.