Book 16, Question 113
Why Does Rain Sometimes Disappear Before It Hits the Ground?
Rain sometimes disappears before it hits the ground because the air below the cloud is so dry! The falling drops evaporate on the way down. The water goes right back into the air.
More fun facts
- Sometimes rain falls from a cloud but dries up before it reaches the ground.
- Rain that does not make it to the ground is called virga.
- This happens when the falling rain passes through a layer of dry air near the ground.
- The deeper the dry layer, the less chance the rain has of reaching the ground.
- Weather radar can still see the rain up high, even when none falls where you stand.
- Any rain that does reach the ground is less, because the dry air soaks some of it up.
Sources: National Weather Service
Questions kids ask
Can snow disappear before landing too?
Yes. Radar can show snow high in the sky that never reaches the ground because the air below is too dry.