Frontal precipitation occurs when warm air rises over a cold air wedge at a warm, cold, or occluded front. It produces widespread, continuous, moderate-intensity rain, unlike convective precipitation (localised and intense).
At a warm front, precipitation precedes the front by 200–300 km and lasts hours; at a cold front, it is shorter but more intense, occurring right at the frontal line. Nimbostratus clouds are typical of frontal precipitation.