Evaporation is defined as the process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas. Evaporation is important to the hydrologic cycle because upper level winds transport this water vapor around the globe, influencing relative humidity levels worldwide. Condensation, however, is the opposite of evaporation, that is, it is the process by which water changes from a gas to a liquid. Condensation generally occurs in the atmosphere when warm air rises, cools and looses its capacity to hold water vapor. The basic transport of water from the surface upward is referred to as convection.
Convection results from solar heating at the surface, which induces thermals.
These clouds in turn can produce precipitation, which returns the water back to the earth's surface where the cycle begins again. Some of this precipitation seeps into the groundwater table, just below the surface of the earth, and other portions of precipitation run-off into lakes and rivers, only to be evaporated once more. The hydrologic cycle has a major impact on our weather, and without it, all civilization, as well as animals, would be severely impaired. A closer look at certain aspects of the cycle could reveal forecasting techniques that may help to save lives. The goal of this project was to develop a representative model for DeKalb, Illinois, which can aid forecasters in identifying relative trends in a given year.