Unbelievable Phenomenon: Rain Falling in a 5 Foot Radius

In summary: Yesterday it was sunny, then all of the sudden it rained and it rained until about an hour ago. It was a weird mix of rain and snow.In summary, on a seemingly cloudless day, a tree was struck by lightning, and the clouds were just coming over the tops of the mountains nearly 10 miles away.
  • #1
Math Jeans
349
0
Well. Its happening as I speak, and I have never seen this before (and neither has anyone else in the house).

It is completely sunny out, and suddenly, rain starts falling in our front yard. We realize that there isn't any rain in the backyard, or even on the driveway. The rain was only falling onto about a 5 foot radius in our grass, and it was coming down hard. Has anyone else every seen this before?
 
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  • #2
Yeah, someone was pouring water off of your roof :biggrin:
 
  • #3
I've seen something similar. It was like god was throwing a tantrum, it would rain hailstones in some pi*600m^2 area and then the sun would come out and dry it all within minutes, and it would repeat for about 3-10 cycles (memory is vague).
 
  • #4
No, but I did stand on the edge of a storm once. It was dry on one side of the house and heavy rain on the other.
 
  • #5
I've stood in the pouring rain, when there wasen't a cloud in the sky. It was coming from the other side of the mountains on a wind draft.
 
  • #6
dst said:
I've seen something similar. It was like god was throwing a tantrum, it would rain hailstones in some pi*600m^2 area and then the sun would come out and dry it all within minutes, and it would repeat for about 3-10 cycles (memory is vague).

I'm not talking about 600m^2. It was literally only a 5 foot radius in our front yard. There was no rain anywhere else around it.
 
  • #7
I've been in 'sun showers' where the sun is shining, but the rain is falling from one small cloud. I've never seen it as concentrated as 5 feet.

I've stood on a beach watching a squall line approach, and the rain was extremely heavy that one could not see more than a few feet.
 
  • #8
Math Jeans said:
Well. Its happening as I speak, and I have never seen this before (and neither has anyone else in the house).

It is completely sunny out, and suddenly, rain starts falling in our front yard. We realize that there isn't any rain in the backyard, or even on the driveway. The rain was only falling onto about a 5 foot radius in our grass, and it was coming down hard. Has anyone else every seen this before?
Did you also see little elves with tiny umbrellas? :smile:

You know, it's this time of the year...
 
  • #9
I was in a park once and it started raining about 20 feet away in a small area that slowly moved away, the rest of the park was sunny and dry.
 
  • #10
Five feet would be incredibly small, but, other than that, it's not that unusual out here. We live right at the front range of the Rockies and the weather coming over the mountains can be bizarre.

I've seen snow on a sunny day that completely disappears once you round a corner on a mountain road (first time I ever saw this was on Mt Lemon in Arizona - I was in shorts and a T-shirt, round a corner, and I'm in the middle of a storm :confused:).

I refereed a soccer game where we started in sunshine, had hail, sleet, and snow, then a sunny day where everyone is running around with soaked hair and clothes for no discernible reason at all, and all this just in the first half.

There have been times when I've had to change my route home, trying to drive between the tiny rain storms because I left the doors and top to my Jeep at home, usually successfully, but sometimes I've gotten pretty wet - it's always nice to carry at least my bikini top (the bikini top for the Jeep).

The tree in our front yard was struck by lightning on a seemingly cloudless day. The clouds were just coming over the tops of the mountains nearly 10 miles away.

The weather around here can be just flat out strange.
 

1. How is it possible for rain to fall in such a small area?

This phenomenon is known as "localized precipitation" and it occurs when a small area experiences a sudden and intense burst of rain. This can happen due to a variety of factors such as atmospheric conditions, topography, and wind patterns.

2. Is there a scientific explanation for this occurrence?

Yes, localized precipitation is a well-documented meteorological phenomenon that can be explained by the movement of air masses and the presence of updrafts and downdrafts in the atmosphere. These factors can create areas of low pressure and high pressure, leading to the formation of localized rain.

3. Is this type of rain dangerous?

While localized precipitation can be intense and sudden, it is not inherently dangerous. However, it can sometimes be associated with other severe weather events such as thunderstorms, so caution should always be taken when encountering this phenomenon.

4. Can this phenomenon be predicted or forecasted?

Yes, meteorologists use advanced weather modeling and data analysis techniques to predict and forecast localized precipitation. However, it can still be difficult to accurately predict the exact location and timing of this type of rain.

5. Is localized precipitation becoming more common due to climate change?

There is currently no evidence to suggest that localized precipitation is becoming more frequent due to climate change. However, as our climate continues to change, we may see shifts in weather patterns and an increase in extreme weather events, including localized precipitation.

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