How does water return to the atmosphere?

Heat from the Sun causes water to evaporate from the surface of lakes and oceans. This turns the liquid water into water vapor in the atmosphere. Plants, too, help water get into the atmosphere through a process called transpiration! ... Water can also get into the atmosphere from snow and ice.

So you have a puddle... when it gets hot outside the water will tend to evaporate into the sky. When it gets in the sky it forms into a cloud. Then when the cloud is ready it will rain.

It will dry out with less sunlight