How does rain reach the ocean?

When it rains, some water seeps into the ground, and some of it collects to form streams and rivers that eventually flow into the ocean. The water that falls as rain is constantly recycled because water can change from a liquid to a gas (a process known as evaporation) and back to a liquid again (condensation).

What happens when the rain falls on the sea?

But it matters, partly because the sea is salty. The effect of rain diluting the salts in the ocean (or evaporation concentrating them) can be greater than the effect of warming (or cooling) on the density of seawater. This leads to ocean current systems that can be surprisingly strong.

Most rain is absolutely safe to drink and can be even cleaner than the public water supply. Rainwater is only as clean as its container. Only rain that has fallen directly from the sky should be collected for drinking. Boiling and filtering rainwater will make it even safer to drink.

Is swimming in the rain bad?

Summary: It's ok, you can swim! There is a saying that if you swim in the rain you will get cold. It's a popular reason people say you shouldn't swim when it's raining. Well, that's only 50% true.

Is there more rain in the sea than on land?

Yes, a lot! More rain falls over the seas than over land. This is largely due to the fact that there is so much more sea area than land. But the oceans are also where most water evaporates, and so much of it must also fall back there.

Why is it raining in the middle of the sea?

But the oceans are also where most water evaporates, and so much of it must also fall back there. Most precipitation on land begins as ocean water (and some lake water, some forest/grassland transpiration) and decreases as conditions develop. Humid winds pushing into the mountains quickly dump rain or snow.

How does the water in the sea affect the weather?

When water molecules are heated, they freely exchange with the air in a process called evaporation. The ocean water constantly evaporates, increasing the temperature and humidity of the surrounding air to form rain and storms, which are then carried by the trade winds.

Eventually, most of it makes its way back to the oceans. Since the oceans contain about 97 percent of the Earth's surface water, they make the largest contribution to evaporation. Most of that water rains back into the oceans—only about 10 percent of it falls on land.