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Old 12-05-2013, 08:12 PM
 
Location: Sydney, Australia
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Can it rain with low humidity levels, say at around 40% (or whatever's considered low for rain)?
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Old 12-06-2013, 07:00 PM
 
Location: Sydney, Australia
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Bump??
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Old 12-06-2013, 07:06 PM
 
Location: Laurentia
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I clearly remember many occasions where it rain lightly when the dew point was 10F lower than the air temperature, but that's still 60-70% relative humidity. I've seen snow fall when relative humidities were around 30%, so I don't see any good reason why the same couldn't occur with rain. Indeed, although I cannot remember the relative humidities I have seen virga fall and then turn into rain, which obviously must have been in a pretty dry airmass. Obviously such low humidities discourage cloud cover and precipitation, but low-humidity precipitation does occur. If the precipitation becomes moderate or heavy, however, the air will reach its wet bulb temperature and relative humidity will rapidly increase. If it's light rain, though, there's no reason low humidity could not be maintained for hours.
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Old 03-30-2014, 03:33 AM
 
Location: Sydney, Australia
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To update my thread: We have encountered sudden rain with the humidity at 53% in the last few weeks (so I'm guessing it happens often). Since it came suddenly in dry weather the humidity wouldn't be able to go up that quick. I'm sure, though, the humidity later rapidly rose.

So yeah, it seems rain with low humidity is possible. Dunno why nobody replied to this thread btw. :/
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Old 03-30-2014, 04:40 AM
 
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
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Agree with Patricius Maximus that light rain can fall in relatively dry environments for a considerable length of time, but that humidity would increase rather quickly under a moderate or a heavy rainfall.
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Old 01-03-2015, 11:10 PM
 
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The record was 11% (also the record hottest air temp when raining (46C/115F)) in Needles, Calif. 8/13/2012 3:56PM PDT (22:56 UTC). Equated to 48F/9C dewpoint and 111F/44C heat index.

115°F World Record Hot Rain Hits Needles CA & Storm Starts Fire
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Old 01-04-2015, 06:54 AM
 
Location: Bremerhaven, NW Germany
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I have experienced a very light rainshower in August 2009 here on a hot but rather dry day (Temp was 34°C, Humidity about 35%). Most of the rain evaporated into the air, but some drops made it to the ground.
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Old 03-20-2015, 05:17 PM
 
Location: Detroit
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I'm bumping this thread because it rained today with 35% humidity.
Attached Thumbnails
Rain with low humidity-1426889731479.jpg  
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Old 10-06-2017, 10:52 PM
 
Location: Sydney, Australia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WayneCounty View Post
I'm bumping this thread because it rained today with 35% humidity.
After 3 years, I realize that this 'phenomena' occurs occasionally in Sydney. We've had rain with RH around 40%.
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Old 10-06-2017, 11:01 PM
 
Location: New Jersey
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We had a day with low humidity but a couple of passing showers. Was within the past couple months. Maybe not unheard of, but doesn't happen very often either.
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