Did It Rain on Earth for 2 Million Years? — Here’s What Scientists Found

Did it really rain on Earth for 2 million years? A period of just dark skies, cloudy atmosphere, and a planet drowning in rain with no break at all. However, is that really what happened, and when did it occur?

The truth is not actually as simple as it has been continuously raining on the planet for 2 million years. Instead, the climate transitioned to a wetter period where heavy rains are much more common. It wasn’t like a downpour of rain day and night at every single part of Earth for that many years.

Where the “2 Million Years of Rain” Story Comes From

That Time It Rained for Two Million Years

The idea that it rained for nearly 2 million years came from studies of the Late Triassic, about 234–232 million years ago. This was about the same time the dinosaurs were appearing and diversifying. From this era, geologists found rocks that contain signs of a major climate shift called the Carnian Pluvial Episode.

This is an event that is thought to mark a long stretch of Earth’s climate being more humid and wet, causing more frequent downfalls in many regions across the globe. However, before and after it, the giant supercontinent Pangaea was actually very dry and hot, especially its inner areas.

Then, something changed, as the soils showed signs of wetter conditions and the plant fossils from that time suggest a moisture-loving vegetation. In other words, there may have been a 1 to 2 million years of rainy season on Earth, and not continuous rain for that many years.

Read more: Wikipedia

What Caused This Long Rainy Period, and Why It Mattered

When It Rained For 2,000,000 Years

During the Carnian Pluvial Episode, there may have been a massive amount of volcanic eruptions in a region called the Wrangellia Large Igneous Province, currently found in western Canada and Alaska. These eruptions likely caused for excess amount of carbon dioxide to be released in the atmosphere.

These extra gases could have heated the climate and caused changes in water movement in the air and on the land, which may have ultimately caused a wetter period in Earth’s history with much more common rainfalls. This phenomenon may have also helped the dinosaurs, new kinds of plants, and other living organisms rise to domination in the Triassic world.

Author's Final Thoughts

So, did it really rain for 2 million years? The answer is it did, but not continuously day and night without stopping. Rather, there has been a phase of wetter climate that includes more rainfall for 1 to 2 million years around 234–232 million years ago in large areas across the globe.

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