Definition of virga in English:
virga
nounPlural virgae ˈvəːɡəˈvərɡə
Meteorology A mass of streaks of rain appearing to hang under a cloud and evaporating before reaching the ground.
mass noun the ghostly apparition of virga—an indicator of violent downdraughts
Example sentencesExamples
- I kept a wary eye on both for fifteen to twenty minutes while climbing in the last couple thermals and observed that the virga never extended its range closer to the ground.
- I took one more thermal near Cross Mountain to 16,000 ft and glided to Maybell where I decided to land due to numerous areas of virga and lightning.
- As benign and pastoral as this scene might appear, areas of virga can produce 65-knot columns of downward tumbling air mass.
- We can see virga coming out of some of the clouds.
Origin
1940s: from Latin, literally 'rod, stripe'.