PRECIPITATION
Precipitation is the primary mechanism for transporting water from the atmosphere to the surface of the earth. There are several forms of precipitation, the most common is rain. Other forms of precipitation include; hail, snow, sleet, and freezing rain.
Precipitation is important because it helps to mantain the atmospheric balance. Without precipitation all of the land on the planet would be dessert. It also helps farmers grow crops and provides a fresh water supply for us to drink.
Precipitation can also be damaging. Too much rain and snow can cause severe flooding and lots of traffic accidents. Hail can damage crops and cars. Freezing rain and sleet can destroy trees and power lines.
The opposite of precipitation is evaporation.