Everyday skies · feature
Virga
Rain that never lands
Full credit
Own work
Displayed at reduced resolution. See the original file for full licensing information.
Full credit
Own work
Displayed at reduced resolution. See the original file for full licensing information.
Full credit
Own work
Displayed at reduced resolution. See the original file for full licensing information.
Swipe or scroll sideways to explore the photographs. Photos may include other cloud types; names and credits come from their source records.
Spot it
Wispy trails descending from a cloud but fading before the ground.
How it forms
Precipitation evaporates or sublimates in drier air underneath.
Read the sky
The ground can stay dry even while precipitation falls aloft.
Where to look
Look where a precipitating cloud sits above a relatively dry layer.
Little sky facts
Reveal fact 1
Virga is a precipitation trail.
Reveal fact 2
It disappears before reaching the surface.
Reveal fact 3
Winds can bend its streaks.
Reveal fact 4
Both falling liquid and ice can produce the effect.
Try this
Trace the falling strands like a jellyfish’s tentacles.
Draw your own cloud ↗Read a little deeper
Met Office · formation and weather
Conditions described here are places to look, not a global frequency ranking. Use local weather forecasts and warnings for decisions. Never look directly at the Sun.