how can a drop of rain in Denver become a flake of snow in Montana.
Rain, and water vapor, freeze in temperatures below 0C.
True
That statement is true. When the temperature drops below 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit), water can freeze and turn into ice. This freezing process can occur in the atmosphere, where droplets of water in the form of rain can freeze and transform into snowflakes.
To understand how a drop of rain in Denver can become a flake of snow in Montana, we need to consider the weather conditions and temperature changes along the journey.
First, let's assume that the drop of rain in Denver is falling from a cloud at an altitude where the temperature is above 0 degrees Celsius. As the drop of rain moves higher in the atmosphere and reaches a colder region, where the temperature drops below 0 degrees Celsius, the drop of rain can freeze into a tiny ice particle.
Next, as the frozen raindrop continues to fall and moves towards Montana, it encounters even colder temperatures, which can cause further freezing. The ice particle can start accumulating additional moisture from the surrounding air, creating a process known as deposition. This process allows the ice particle to grow in size and form a snowflake.
The snowflake can continue to develop as it moves closer to the ground in Montana, where the temperature remains below freezing. By the time it reaches the surface, the drop of rain that originated in Denver has transformed into a flake of snow through the process of freezing, deposition, and growth.
So, in summary, a drop of rain in Denver can become a flake of snow in Montana by going through the process of freezing and deposition in colder temperatures as it moves closer to its destination.