# Hurricane rain in the midwest **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 4, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-rain-in-the-midwest/462038 "2008-09-04T19:31:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-rain-in-the-midwest/462038/1 "2008-09-04T19:31:05Z")
So, the weather folks show us the pictures and clearly the non-stop rain we’re getting today is leftover Gustav. Which was a tropical storm from the ocean. Which is full of salt water. So why isn’t the rain salty? Is it salty rain when it’s still a hurricane? PS: Yes, I stood and stuck my tongue out in it. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-rain-in-the-midwest/462038/2 "2008-09-04T19:35:08Z")
> [@Mr Bus Guy](#): > > So, the weather folks show us the pictures and clearly the non-stop rain we’re getting today is leftover Gustav. > > Which was a tropical storm from the ocean. Which is full of salt water. > > So why isn’t the rain salty? > > Is it salty rain when it’s still a hurricane? > > PS: Yes, I stood and stuck my tongue out in it. Because it’s rain falling from the sky, not water that has been sucked up from the ocean and tossed your way. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-rain-in-the-midwest/462038/3 "2008-09-04T19:36:04Z")
Rain (of any sort) gets into rain clouds by evaporating. Evaporated water leaves the salt behind. If you were in the middle of a hurricane on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, the rain falling on you would be pure, fresh water. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-rain-in-the-midwest/462038/4 "2008-09-04T19:48:56Z")
Yep, that salt film you get on cars and buildings near the ocean isn’t from the rain from the oceans but rather ocean mist that blows the sea water into the air and onto things. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-rain-in-the-midwest/462038/5 "2008-09-04T19:57:19Z")
I figured that was the answer, but my high school science was failing me. Oh hell - grade school science too. Thanks everyone. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-rain-in-the-midwest/462038/6 "2008-09-04T20:16:10Z")
Though it is possible for a waterspuot (tornado over water) to suck up saltwater, and presumably it has to deposit it somewhere, right? Brian ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-rain-in-the-midwest/462038/7 "2008-09-04T20:33:27Z")
[But… but…](http://bp2.blogger.com/_4pNT5gU-0w8/SA_oKfhcIZI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/98fgXCb1jqk/s400/when+it+rains+it+pours.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-rain-in-the-midwest/462038/8 "2008-09-04T22:14:35Z")
This is one of those great teachable moments. Kids can go out in the rain and feel water falling on them that no doubt was, a few days ago, in the ocean. (Never mind that that’s really what goes on to some degree all the time). Once kids get this concept, it’s a short jump to having them discover how water cycles around the planet, how we only have a limited amount, how we’ve always had about the same amount, and that odds are that molecules of water that are raining down were once part of a dinosaur’s urine. I miss the classroom. ---
**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-rain-in-the-midwest/462038/9 "2008-09-04T22:42:24Z")
> [@CC](#): > > …and that odds are that molecules of water that are raining down were once part of a dinosaur’s urine. As I look at my bottle of water & read this, I can only say “Mmmm - Tasty.” 😉