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Precipitation is a game mechanic first introduced in The Sims 2: Seasons and The Sims Castaway Stories, and later reintroduced in The Sims 3: Seasons and The Sims 4: Seasons. Precipitation is a part of weather and is typically a random and unpredictable event; while Sims can get weather forecasts by watching TV, these predictions may be inaccurate. Precipitation can fall either as rain, hail, or snow, depending on the season; snow is typically only a wintertime occurrence, while hail only falls in the summer.

Precipitation can vary in intensity, accumulation, and duration; heavy precipitation tends to affect the surrounding environment more than light precipitation. For instance, heavy rainfall tends to produce lightning storms more often than light rain, while heavy hail is more likely to damage crops and injure Sims. A large-enough accumulation of snow is a prerequisite for many wintertime activities, such as making snowmen or having snowball fights.

Precipitation can be controlled to an extent using weather-controlling machines. Precipitation affects a Sim's mood, and Sims will often have wants or wishes of seeing certain types of precipitation. Some life states, such as PlantSims, will benefit from precipitation, while others, such as SimBots, are negatively affected by it. Although precipitation is largely benign and harmless, some forms of precipitation can kill Sims if they are heavy enough, or if Sims spend too much time outdoors. Sims are safe from all forms of precipitation while they are indoors.

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