What weather phenomenon is formed when warm air rises and cools, leading to condensation?

The phenomenon of cloud formation occurs when warm air rises, expands, and subsequently cools. As the air cools, its capacity to hold moisture diminishes, leading to condensation. Tiny water droplets or ice crystals form around small particles in the atmosphere, collectively creating clouds. This process is fundamental to the development of various weather systems.

While rainfall, fog, and precipitation are related phenomena, they are outcomes of cloud formation rather than the process itself. Rainfall happens when the water droplets in clouds coalesce and grow heavy enough to fall to the ground, while fog typically involves condensation occurring at ground level. Precipitation is a broader term that includes various forms of water, such as rain, snow, sleet, and hail, that fall from clouds, but it is the initial cloud formation that sets the stage for these events to occur.