Animal Rain; A Natural Phenomena?

 Animal Rain; A Natural Phenomena?

“It’s raining cats and dogs? More like bats and polliwogs.“

““Animal rain” is a real weatherphenomenon that happens when small animals get swept up in waterspouts or updrafts, and then fall to Earth with raindrops. Reported rains of bats, fish, snakes, birds, frogs, and jellies stretch back for centuries. “

“The phenomena most associated with animal rain are waterspouts, although many meteorologists are skeptical that waterspouts can actually cause animal rain. Waterspouts form as violent storm clouds swirl above a large body of water. These clouds form a tornado-like whirlwind (called a vortex) that dips into the ocean, lake, or pond. Waterspouts can spin up to 160 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour), and may pull up small objects in their funnel—water, pebbles, and small aquatic animals. It is important to remember that a waterspout is not a swirling column of water—the water in a waterspout is the result of condensation, not liquid "sucked up" from a body of water.”

“Strong winds (called updrafts) may also pull animals into their swirling vortices. Updrafts can sweep up much larger animals than waterspouts—traveling birds and bats, as well as frogs, snakes, and insects.“

“As waterspouts and updrafts move over land, they lose their swirling energy. The storm clouds that formed the waterspouts are forced to dump their heavy loads. The heaviest objects are dumped first, and the lightest objects (usually simple raindrops) are dumped last. This explains why reports of animal rain usually describe only one type of animal raining down. A cloud will dump all objects of a similar weight at the same time—fish (heavy), followed by insects (lighter), followed by rain (lightest), for example.“

“Precipitation—even animal rain—is part of the natural movement of water in our atmosphere. Clouds always move from high-pressure systems to low-pressure systems. High-pressure areas are often near the surface of the Earth (although entire regions, such as the poles, are high-pressure zones). Low-pressure areas are often high in the atmosphere (although the region around the Equator is a low-pressure zone). Storms, precipitation, and even animal rain “lighten” the cloud’s load and allow it to continue its movement in the atmosphere.“

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