What is Rainband?
[[Image:Sturmfront auf Doppler-Radar-Schirm.jpg|350 px|thumb|right|Band of thunderstorms seen on a [[weather radar]] display]] A '''rainband''' is an area of rainfall where all the [[cloud]]s and [[Precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]] are stretched out in a long line or band.<ref>Glossary of Meteorology (2009). [http://amsglossary.allenpress.com/glossary/search?p=1&query=rainband&submit=Search Rainband.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606102457/http://amsglossary.allenpress.com/glossary/search?p=1&query=rainband&submit=Search |date=2011-06-06 }} Retrieved on 2008-12-24.</ref> Rainbands can be [[stratiform]] or [[atmospheric convection|convective]]. They are caused by differences in temperature. When seen on a [[weather radar]], the long narrow shape is called a banded structure.<ref>Glossary of Meteorology (2009). [http://amsglossary.allenpress.com/glossary/search?id=banded-structure1 Banded structure.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606102630/http://amsglossary.allenpress.com/glossary/search?id=banded-structure1 |date=2011-06-06 }} Retrieved on 2008-12-24.</ref> Rainbands in a [[tropical cyclone]] are curved and may even spiral around the center of the cyclone.<ref>Tropical cyclone. (2011). In Encyclopædia Britannica. [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/606551/tropical-cyclone] Retrieved on 2011-05-15.</ref> Tropical cyclone rainbands include rain showers and [[thunderstorm]]s. When this includes an [[eyewall]] and the [[eye (cyclone)|eye]], they make a [[tropical cyclone|hurricane or tropical storm]]. The size of rainbands around a tropical cyclone helps to measure the cyclone's intensity. Rainbands that form near and ahead of [[cold front]]s can be [[squall line]]s which can produce [[tornado]]es. The shape of rainbands linked with cold fronts can be changed by mountains. The mountains block the winds which can then form a low-level [[barrier jet]]. Bands of thunderstorms can form when [[sea breeze]] and [[land breeze]]s meet, if enough moisture is present