virga

American  

[vur-guh] / ˈvɜr gə /

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

1. streaks of water drops or ice particles falling out of a cloud and evaporating before reaching the ground (praecipitatio ).

---

virga British  

/ ˈvɜːɡə /

noun

1. (sometimes functioning as plural) meteorol wisps of rain or snow, seen trailing from clouds, that evaporate before reaching the earth

---

virga Scientific  

/ vûr′gə /

1. Light wisps of precipitation streaming from a cloud but evaporating before reaching the ground, especially when the air below is low in humidity.

---

Etymology

Origin of virga

1935–40; < Latin: rod, streak

Example Sentences

If virga occurs along with dry lightning, there is a risk of fires being sparked, she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 21, 2025

In a pattern referred to as virga, the moisture in the middle layers of the atmosphere will fall as rain, but evaporate before hitting the ground, Dumas said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 13, 2024

Precipitation counts as drizzle when the drops are smaller than that and virga when the drops are so small they don’t reach the ground.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 26, 2022

As I walked I noticed a distant storm and a trail in the sky of lace-like virga, or shafts of rain that hang from a cloud, never making it to the ground.

From New York Times • Nov. 6, 2019

Strong gusts of wind buffeted the train, and ghostly virga of ice followed it through the night.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson