Weather

Bring on the Rain

• "The rain it raineth every day, upon the just and unjust feller, but mostly on the just, because the unjust hath the just's umbrella."

Umbrellas aside, rain is very democratic. In general, the weather is a great equalizer. Although a rainy day isn't always welcome, that rain itself can serve many purposes. As the ancient weather watchers said, "Some rain, some rest. Fine weather isn't always the best." We can't live by sunshine alone.

In this section, we try to get a handle on the precipitation process. We'll "pore" over both the natural and the artificial rainmaking techniques. Most importantly, we learn why it really does rain. Given the complexity of this topic, that's quite an accomplishment.

Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Weather © 2002 by Mel Goldstein, Ph.D.. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.