Precipitation is any type of water that forms in the Earth\’s atmosphere and then drops onto the surface of the Earth.Water vapor , droplets of water suspended in the air, builds up in the Earth\’s atmosphere. Water vapor in the atmosphere is visible as clouds and fog . Water vapor collects with other materials, such as dust , in clouds.Precipitation condenses, or forms, around these tiny pieces of material, called cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) .Clouds eventually get too full of water vapor, and the precipitation turns into a liquid ( rain ) or a solid ( snow ).Precipitation is part of the water cycle . Precipitation falls to the ground as snow and rain. It eventually evaporates and rises back into the atmosphere as a gas. In clouds, it turns back into liquid or solid water, and it falls to Earth again. People rely on precipitation for fresh water to drink, bathe, and irrigate crops for food.