A puddle on a gravelled surface with raindrops hitting it, creating a pattern of concentric circular ripples on its surface.

Why does it rain?

Some droplets fall through the cloud and coalesce into raindrops on their way down. As more and more droplets join together they become too heavy and fall from the cloud as rain.

Warm air can hold more moisture than cool air. When the warmer air is cooled and the moisture condenses, it often rains more heavily.

The video and text below explain how rain forms, and the different types of rain that we get in the UK.

Transcript: Why does it rain?