Drizzle or "mist" is composed of very small, numerous and uniformly dispersed water droplets that may appear to float with the air currents. The size of a drop of drizzle is considered to be less than 0.02" in diameter. Drizzle usually falls from low stratus clouds and is accompanied by thick fog and poor visibility. Unlike fog, drizzle descends to the ground but barely makes ripples in nearby puddles. The intensity of drizzle is measured by the reduction in visibility.

Rain is made up of liquid water droplets descending at a steady rate. The size of a raindrop ranges from 0.02" to 0.25" in diamater. Rain can fall from a wide variety of stratiform clouds such as stratus, stratocumulus or nimbostratus. When rain reaches the ground definite drops disturb the surface of nearby puddles. The intensity of rain is measured by the amount of rain that has accumulated in a rain gauge.

Showers consist of water droplets and are characterized by sporatic starts and stops along with rapid changes in intensity. Showers fall from convective clouds such as cumulus or cumulonimbus. Showers can develop in a localized area while blue sky is still visible.

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US Dept of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Weather Service
Spokane Weather Forecast Office
2601 N. Rambo Rd.
Spokane, Washington 99224

Tel: (509) 244-0110