This paper has a comprehensive review on researches of the sensitivity of atmosphere to the surface properties and the impact of land atmosphere interaction on the process of mesoscale systems demonstrating the links between surface properties and cumulus convective rainfall. Changes in surface properties influence the heat flux, moisture flux and the convective available potential energy within the planetary boundary layer and the nature of atmosphere is affected through the turbulent vertical transportation. The interaction between the land and atmosphere is very complex and nonlinear. The difference of sensible heat flux and latent heat flux in the atmosphere caused by heterogeneous underlying surface can generate the pressure and temperature gradient and local circulation which can initiate convection and precipitation in suitable conditions. And the heterogeneous distribution of precipitation can in turn aggravate the heterogeneity of the underlying surface. The influence of soil moisture on convection is restricted by various factors including the significant influence of synoptic scale process. The cumulus convection can be triggered by the local circulation which is generated by the inhomogeneous underlying surface.