TERMIUM Plus^®

Record 1,  Textual support,  English

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF

Streaks or wisps of precipitation, such as water or ice particles, that fall from clouds but evaporate before reaching the ground.  6, record 1, English, - virga

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 CONT

Virga is frequently seen trailing from altocumulus and altostratus clouds, but also is discernible below the bases of high-level cumuliform clouds from which precipitation is falling into a dry subcloud layer. It typically exhibits a hooked form in which the streaks descend nearly vertically just under the precipitation source but appear to be almost horizontal at their lower extremities. Such curvature of virga can be produced simply by effects of strong vertical wind shear, but ordinarily it results from the fact that droplet or crystal evaporation decreases the particle terminal fall velocity near the ends of the streaks. Under some conditions, virga are associated with dry microbursts, which are formed as a product of the evaporation.  7, record 1, English, - virga

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 2 CONT

They are actually altocumulus clouds from which precipitation is falling. Such trails of water droplets or ice particles are called virgae (or sometimes fallstreaks) and, by definition, do not reach the ground.  8, record 1, English, - virga

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS

virga. From a distance, the event sometimes may be mistaken for a funnel cloud or tornado.  6, record 1, English, - virga

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 2 OBS

virga. This supplementary feature occurs mostly with Cirrocumulus, Altocumulus, Altostratus, Nimbostratus, Stratocumulus, Cumulus and Cumulonimbus.  9, record 1, English, - virga

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 3 OBS

In the consulted sources, plural of "virga" is "virga" or "virgae".  10, record 1, English, - virga

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 4 OBS

Some authors consider "fall streaks" and "fallstreaks" as synonyms of "virga". Compare "fall streaks".  10, record 1, English, - virga

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 5 OBS

Fall streaks are the wisps that can sometimes be seen falling below high, thin cirrus clouds. They are ice crystals that fall out of the cloud but evaporate as they fall into drier air below. Fall streaks are analogous to another phenomenon known as "virga," which is rain falling from lower clouds and evaporating before it reaches the ground.  11, record 1, English, - virga

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 PHR

Virga of altocumulus, cirrocumulus, rain, snow.  10, record 1, English, - virga

Record 1,  Textual support,  French

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF

Traînées de précipitations [pluie, neige ou cristaux de glace], verticales ou obliques, attenantes à la base d'un nuage et n'atteignant pas la surface terrestre.  4, record 1, French, - virga

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 CONT

Tant que les gouttelettes, ou les cristaux de glace sont petits, ils restent dans le nuage. Mais leur coalescence conduit à leur chute sous l'effet de la pesanteur. Parfois la précipitation n'atteint pas le sol, l'eau s'évapore en altitude et sous le nuage se distingue une sorte de frange appelée virga.  5, record 1, French, - virga

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 2 CONT

Altocumulus castellanus. Des filaments de neige en chute apparaissent sous la base de ces nuages, mais la précipitation (appelée virga) n'atteint pas le sol puisqu'elle s'évapore avant. Le virga est composé de cristaux de glace et de flocons de neige.  6, record 1, French, - virga

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS

Cette particularité supplémentaire se présente, le plus souvent, avec les Cirrocumulus, Altocumulus, Altostratus, Nimbostratus, Stratocumulus, Cumulus et Cumulonimbus.  4, record 1, French, - virga

Record 1,  Textual support,  Spanish

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF

Estelas de precipitación, verticales u oblicuas, unidas a la superficie inferior de una nube, que no llegan a la superficie de la Tierra.  2, record 1, Spanish, - virga

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS

Esta particularidad suplementaria se observa principalmente en los Cirrocumulus, Altocumulus, Altostratus, Nimbostratus, Stratocumulus, Cumulus y Cumulonimbus.  2, record 1, Spanish, - virga