How does weather, such as rain, affect fingerprint recovery?

Rain can significantly affect fingerprint recovery by potentially washing away the prints left on surfaces, especially if those prints are on materials that are porous or absorbent. When it rains, the moisture can dilute substances that contain the fingerprint residues, making them less visible or completely removing them from the surface. In many cases, prints are composed of oils, sweat, and other materials that can be washed away by water. This makes it much more challenging for investigators to recover viable fingerprints during or after wet weather conditions. In contrast, prints may appear more visible or pronounced in dry conditions, where the residues remain intact and more easily detectable by forensic techniques.