Hey there! Today, we’re going to learn about why some places in the world are super rainy. Our friend Squeaks was feeling a bit sad because it was raining, and he couldn’t fly his kite. But did you know that there are places much rainier than where Squeaks lives?
All around the world, people experience different kinds of weather. Some places are sunny and dry, while others are cold and windy. The weather we experience depends on the land and water features around us. For example, if you live in the mountains, it might be colder and snowier than in other places.
Scientists use a tool called a rain gauge to measure how much rain falls in a place. They collect rainwater in a small area and measure it in millimeters. By doing this over a long time, they can find out which places are the rainiest on Earth!
One of the rainiest places is Mount Wai’ale’ale in Hawai’i. Over 60 years, it got an average of 9,500 millimeters of rain each year! That’s twice as tall as a giraffe. In 1982, it rained even more, with over 17,300 millimeters of rain.
Another super rainy place is Cherrapunji in India. From 1860 to 1861, it received more than 25,400 millimeters of rain in one year, as tall as an 8-story building! Cherrapunji also holds the record for the most rain in 48 hours, with 2,493 millimeters in just two days.
Nearby, Mawsynram in India is also very rainy, with an average of 11,872 millimeters of rain per year over 30 years. These places have a wet season called monsoon, where they get most of their rain.
Monsoons occur because of the Earth’s tilt, which changes how much sunlight hits different parts of the planet. When the ocean gets more sunlight, more water evaporates, forming clouds. These clouds are then pushed over the land by air currents.
In Asia, the Himalaya Mountains play a big role. They block dry air, keeping the storm clouds in the rainy areas.
Want to measure rain like a scientist? You can make your own rain gauge! You’ll need a tall, clear container like an old spaghetti sauce jar, a ruler, a permanent marker, and some clear tape. Put tape up the side of the jar, mark lines for every 5 or 10 millimeters, and cover it with more tape. Place your rain gauge outside where nothing is above it, and wait for the rain. Once it stops, check how much rain you collected!
Thanks for learning with us today! Whether it’s raining or shining, there’s always something fun to discover. See you next time!
Rainy Day Observation: Next time it rains, go outside with an adult and observe how the rain affects your surroundings. Notice how the rain sounds, smells, and feels. Can you see any puddles forming? How do the plants and animals react to the rain? Draw a picture of what you see and share it with your friends or family.
Weather Diary: Keep a weather diary for a week. Each day, write down what the weather is like. Is it sunny, cloudy, rainy, or windy? Draw a picture of the sky. At the end of the week, look back at your diary. Which type of weather did you have the most? How did the weather change from day to day?
Rain Gauge Experiment: Make your own rain gauge as described in the article. After a rainy day, measure how much rain you collected. Compare your results with your friends or classmates. Did everyone collect the same amount of rain? Why do you think that might be?
