substantial rainfall

USAGE SUMMARY

"substantial rainfall" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when talking about rain that is of a larger than average amount - for example, "The weather forecast is predicting substantial rainfall for the next few days."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

"We're in a stressful situation now," Mr. Crisp said, "but come next spring, if we don't have substantial rainfall this winter, these reservoirs are not going to refill".

The New York Times

Champions Day is likely to take place on heavy going at Ascot this Saturday after substantial rainfall in the south of England on Sunday night.

The Guardian - Sport

The bottom line is that there is the potential for substantial rainfall in the region this weekend, of at least one inch.

The Washington Post

Substantial rainfall in the deserts near the Mexican border, where the North American painted ladies lay their eggs, is the reason for the unusually large swarms.

The New York Times

Substantial rainfall in the deserts near the border with Mexico, where the insects lay their eggs, has caused the unusually large swarms, scientists say.

The New York Times

Substantial rainfall is likely, but the exact timing and intensity — still coming into focus — will play a pivotal role in how disruptive this wet weather becomes.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

35 human-written examples

However the report noted that "unfortunately, the rain needed to reduce significant rainfall deficiencies in drought-affected areas is substantial and will require above-average rainfall over a prolonged period to completely remove deficits at longer timescales".

The Guardian

The city of Chennai has the highest population density of the seven ICEMR urban sites with 9,524 persons/km in the study site of Besant Nagar, substantial annual rainfall (1,400 mm/year), and the highest average daily temperature (33°C).

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

The semi-arid tropics of northern Australia have a marked seasonal variation in moisture conditions with a pronounced winter drought lasting six to eight months followed by substantial monsoonal rainfall.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Substantial rain in Tasmania has enabled the state to turn off its temporary diesel generators that were imported due to electricity shortages sparked by record low rainfall and a broken Bass Strait electricity cable.

The Guardian

Rainfall districts in Australia are generally large areas and there can be substantial variation in rainfall and topography within districts [ 25].

BMC Infectious Diseases

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "substantial rainfall" to emphasize that the amount of rain is noteworthy and potentially impactful, especially when contrasting it with typical or expected levels.

Common error

Avoid using "substantial rainfall" repeatedly in the same piece of writing. Vary your language with synonyms like "heavy downpour" or "significant precipitation" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantial rainfall" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "substantial" modifies the noun "rainfall". It describes a significant amount of precipitation. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's a grammatically correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

36%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Academia

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "substantial rainfall" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to describe a significant quantity of rain. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. It appears commonly in News & Media and Science contexts, conveying information about weather events and their consequences. While versatile, it's best to vary language in descriptive writing to avoid repetition. Using synonyms like "significant precipitation" and "heavy downpour" can add nuance and improve clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significant precipitation

Replaces the adjective "substantial" with "significant", indicating a noteworthy amount of rain.

heavy downpour

Uses a more descriptive noun to indicate a large amount of rain falling quickly.

considerable precipitation

Substitutes "substantial" with "considerable", denoting a sizable quantity of rain.

abundant rainfall

Emphasizes the plentiful nature of the rainfall.

copious rainfall

Replaces "substantial" with "copious", highlighting a large quantity of rain.

extensive rainfall

Indicates rainfall that covers a wide area or lasts for a prolonged period.

torrential rain

Focuses on the intense, rapid flow of the rain.

major rainfall event

Highlights the rainfall as a significant occurrence.

substantial rain event

Adds "event" to emphasize the occurrence.

significant rainfall amounts

Specifies the quantity of rainfall.

FAQs

How can I use "substantial rainfall" in a sentence?

You can use "substantial rainfall" to describe a situation where there is a significant amount of rain, such as: "The region experienced "substantial rainfall" this spring, leading to widespread flooding".

What are some synonyms for "substantial rainfall"?

Alternatives include "heavy downpour", "significant precipitation", and "abundant rainfall". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is "substantial rainfall" a formal or informal term?

"Substantial rainfall" is generally considered a neutral to slightly formal term, suitable for news reports, scientific articles, and other professional contexts. More informal alternatives might include "a lot of rain" or "buckets of rain".

What impact can "substantial rainfall" have?

"Substantial rainfall" can lead to various effects, including increased water levels in rivers and reservoirs, potential flooding, improved soil moisture for agriculture, and changes in local ecosystems.