A Weather Related Question!

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Hello.

I have a question regarding evaporative cooling. Well I know that with heavy precipitation usually brings a drop in temperature because higher up is normally cooler than the air temperature, lowering the freezing level.

But on a day like today, with a cold front undercutting warmer air, if it was to rain heavily would that mean that it would become warmer because the warmer air is sitting on top of the colder air?

I will appreciate any answers, thanks

Edited June 27, 2011 by Vegito

[davehsug]

Hello.

I have a question regarding evaporative cooling. Well I know that with heavy precipitation usually brings a drop in temperature because higher up is normally cooler than the air temperature, lowering the freezing level.

But on a day like today, with a cold front undercutting warmer air, if it was to rain heavily would that mean that it would become warmer because the warmer air is sitting on top of the colder air?

I will appreciate any answers, thanks

Nothing to do with upper temperatures Vegito. As rain falls through the atmosphere, some of it evaporates on the way down. The effect of the evaporation is to lower the air temperature. In much the same way if you wet your hand & then blow on it, as the water evaporates, your skin gets colder.

There's probably a much more technical answer, but thats what I understand.

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Oh right,

thank you so much!

I thought it was due to colder air above, obviously I am wrong. :lol: