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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/aero-virga

What is rain called that falls from a cloud but dries up before reaching the ground?

Virga.

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  1. Drizzle
  2. Sleet
  3. Virga ✔

Why: Sometimes rain falls into dry air and evaporates on the way down. You can see streaks hanging under the cloud that never touch the ground. That is virga.

Huh, didn't know that: Virga often appears as streaks beneath a cloud that fade before touching the ground.

The dad joke
Why did the rain never reach the ground? It got cold feet halfway down.
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References

Answer: Virga. Sometimes rain falls into dry air and evaporates on the way down. You can see streaks hanging under the cloud that never touch the ground. That is virga.

  1. FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C), Chapter 12 Weather Theory www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/faa-h-8083-25c.pdf
    Rain that falls through the atmosphere but evaporates prior to striking the ground is known as virga.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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