EvaporationWater from oceans, rivers, lakes, and even plants evaporates due to the sun’s heat. This water vapor rises into the atmosphere.CondensationAs the water vapor rises higher, the air gets cooler. The vapor condenses into tiny water droplets, forming clouds. These droplets stick to dust particles in the air.Cloud FormationWhen enough droplets gather, they form thicker and heavier clouds. As the clouds grow darker and denser, the droplets begin to collide and combine into larger ones.PrecipitationOnce the water droplets in the clouds become too heavy to stay in the air, they fall to the ground as rain. Depending on temperature, precipitation can also take the form of snow, hail, or sleet.