When we study logic in school philosophy, the same example is often given: “It rains, then the streets become wet.” It seems easy, right? Well yes, in most cases this is true, but the truth is that there is a type rain that doesn’t wet the groundbecause the water never touches it. This is something known as Virgoalthough due to their appearance there are those who refer to them as jellyfish clouds
The latter is a good name because it is essentially like a jellyfish, which allows its watery tentacles to descend to a certain height at which they disappear without touching the ground.
Virga can form almost anywhere. However, the type of rain that doesn’t get wet is more common. in desert regions, coastal plains, and also at high altitudes. It’s a wonderful sight, but a nightmare for airplane pilots as it can cause severe turbulence. Now why exactly do they happen?
Virga, the rain that doesn’t wet
Virga begins as normal rain. That is, air saturated with water heats up and rises in the form of steam. In the highest layers of the atmosphere it cools, as a result of which the steam condenses, forming liquid water in the form of droplets, from which clouds arise. Finally, when the cloud is well filled with water, it falls down, causing rain.
Rain that doesn’t get you wet is the same thing; but, falling, the water collides with a layer of dry or hot air, which turns it back into steam. Therefore it never touches the ground.
Why is this dangerous for airplanes?
During this process, the water droplets heat up and evaporate, while the air around them cools. This is because the evaporation process requires heat, which extracted from ambient air. Then this cold and heavy air suddenly falls down, causing gusts and turbulence, which can make it very difficult for an airplane to fly.
In which clouds and when does virga form?
This non-wet rain usually comes from clouds such as cirrocumulus, altocumulus, altocumulus, nimbostratus, cumulonimbus, cumulus and stratocumulus.
He is also known as ghost rainFor obvious reasons, this is a very beautiful sight, unless you are traveling by plane. First of all, it’s impressive when it happens in sunsetfor its reddish light makes more noticeable the gusts of air and branches of water falling down, but never landing on the earth’s surface.
As for the time of year, they can occur at any time of the year, although they are much more common in summer thunderstorms. In fact, they are more common than we might imagine, the problem is that sometimes they go unnoticed. Perhaps even if we keep ourselves grounded, we should look up more. There may be shows that we miss.
Source: Hiper Textual
