How Many Drops to Fill a Cup? 10 Surprising Facts About Rain

Rain is much more than just water drops falling from the sky. It's an amazing natural phenomenon filled with fascinating details, surprising numbers, and unique scents accompanying us throughout the year. Think you know everything about rain? We've gathered 10 amazing facts that will greatly surprise you.

1. Kilometers of Water: On average, the total annual precipitation on Earth is about 990 millimeters. That's about 505,000 cubic kilometers of water falling to the ground every year!
2. Falls Slowly: An average raindrop falls from the cloud to the ground within about 2-10 minutes, depending on the height of the clouds. It falls at a speed of about 8-10 kilometers per hour, depending on its size and the force of gravity and air resistance.

1. Very Small: The diameter of an average raindrop ranges between 0.5 and 6 millimeters. When its diameter exceeds 6 millimeters, it simply breaks into smaller droplets.
2. Lots and Lots of Drops: It takes about 1.5 million tiny raindrops to fill a 250 milliliter water glass.

1. Not Always Good: Acid rain does exist. It results from air pollution when chemicals like sulfur and nitrogen oxides mix with water droplets in the atmosphere. Acid rain can harm plants, water sources, and even structures.

1. What a Scent: The pleasant smell we detect after the rain is considered one of the most beloved scents in the world. The scent is called petrichor, caused by the release of natural oils and bacteria accumulating in the soil during dry periods.

1. The Wettest City in the World: The city of Mawsynram in India is considered the wettest city in the world, with an average annual precipitation of over 11,800 millimeters.
2. Round or Burger? Raindrops are not as round as commonly thought. When they're small, they indeed resemble a ball. However, as they grow, they begin to look like a "flat hamburger," due to air resistance during their fall.

1. Animal Rain: There is a rare phenomenon where rain carries fish or frogs(!). It happens when strong whirlwinds or tornadoes suck small animals from water sources and release them elsewhere, causing "rain" of animals.
2. Colored Rain: Rains containing sand grains from desert areas can cause precipitation in different colors. For example, in European countries, "red rain" sometimes falls, containing sand grains that come from the Sahara.

Which fact did you already know, and which one managed to surprise you? Share in the comments.