TEMPLE, Texas — Today holds a 20% chance of rain, is a phase I’m sure you all are familiar hearing when rain is in the forecast.
But what does a 20% chance of rain mean?
Well, let me explain, Central Texas and The Brazos Valley is the entire area that your 6 News Weather Impact Meteorologist forecast for each day. So out of all 20 counties only 20% of the area will see rain that day. The tricky part is we can't give you the exact location of where the rain will fall.
So, that's why we always encourage you all to carry your umbrellas because rain showers move and can impact different counties through the day. Typically, isolated activity occurs ahead of a front or behind it. Once the front is cross our rain chances increase becoming more widespread (60%-100%).
Rain is not the only form of precipitation even though it is most common for our area. Other types of precipitation include sleet, freezing rain, and snow.
All precipitation starts at cold cloud tops in the upper levels at about 20,000 feet. Rain is formed when it is met with warm air all the way to the surface. Freezing rain occurs when the ice crystals in the clouds melt then refreezes on contact at the surface. Sleet is slightly different from freezing rain because it refreezes well before it makes it to the surface. Lastly, snow is met with cold air from the upper levels all the way to the surface.
One a boring rainy day you came "make" your very own rain. It only requires a few items that you can pick up from your local dollar store. Shaving cream, food coloring, clear bucket, and water is all you need to make it rain.
You would first start by filling the clear bucket up with water but leaving enough space at the top to add shaving cream. Shake the shaving cream well and add it to the top of your water to make your "cloud". Once you have your desired amount of shaving cream then you add a few drops of food coloring to the top of the shaving cream and wait for the "rain".
The drop of food coloring will fall through the shaving cream and appear in the bucket of water below. It is a quick and easy way to teach your child about rain and a fun experiment as well. Always remember to keep your rain gear close by on rainy day.