Several cloud types can give precipitation. The most common ones being nimbostratus, giving lengthy rains and snowfalls in connection with fronts, and cumulonimbus giving short rain showers.

It doesn't always rain, of course, but here it did. The photo on top shows a cumulonimbus with clear trails of rain falling over the lake. How it looked like when the cloud cell came over land, is shown in the second photo. It was a heavy rainfall indeed but didn't last for long. The typical length of such rain showers are up to one hour or less.

Here the rain over the horizon is clearly seen.

Look closely and you'll see the raindrops and the pools on the street.

Pouring down for hours while driving means that the rain-cloud is huge in size, vertically but as well geographically. This particular day a front passed by giving dark rain-filled skies throughout most of the country. First picture in late afternoon, second a few hours later at night time.

Another example of a cumulonimbus cloud in a distance where you clearly see the grey rain to the left. Again, this rain would only last for one hour.

Heavy rain but short, only an hour, in another tropical African country.