What is orographic rainfall and how does they occur?

Answer 1

Orographic rainfall is when a parcel of air containing water vapor gets to a mountain, it is then forced upwards (the mountain blocking its way).

As the parcel of air is forced upwards, it expands (adiabatic expansion) and also cools. As it cools, it becomes saturated because the amount of water it can hold decreases, so the water vapor begins to condense and finally falls as rain.

Answer 2

Orographic means 'associated with the presence of mountains'. Orographic rainfall is rain that occurs as moist air is forced to rise by mountain slopes. It is a common climate pattern in coastal mountains and mountains in the trade wind latitudes.Precipitation that results when moist air is lifted over a topographic barrier such as a mountain range.

Answer 3

Orographic rainfall is formed when a parcel of air containing water vapour gets to a mountain, it is then forced upwards (the mountain blocking its way). As the parcel of air is forced upwards, it expands (adiabatic expansion) and also cools. As it cools, it becomes saturated because the amount of water it can hold decreases, so the water vapour begins to condense and finally falls as rain.

Answer 4

Orography is basically the science of mountains. Accordingly, orographic lifting takes place when an air parcel (smaller) or air mass (larger) that contains sufficient water vapor is moved up the windward (upwind) side of a mountain. As the air parcel/mass is lifted, it cools at a relatively constant rate. As the moist air cools, it condenses if lifted far enough (it much reach what's called the dew point temperature), and clouds will form. If the lifting continues, and the tops of the cloud(s) rise high enough - that is, the cloud is thick enough - precipitation size droplets (about 2mm or more) can form.