virga

views updated Jun 11 2018

virga(fall-stripes) The Latin virga, meaning ‘rod’, used to describe a supplementary cloud feature caused by trails of precipitation falling from the under surface of cloud but not reaching the ground. This phenomenon is often seen with cumulus, cumulonimbus, altocumulus, stratocumulus, cirrocumulus, nimbostratus, and altostratus. See also cloud classification.

A Dictionary of Ecology MICHAEL ALLABY

virga

views updated May 08 2018

virga (fall-stripes) From the Latin virga meaning ‘rod’, a supplementary cloud feature referring to the trails of precipitation falling from the under surface of cloud but not reaching the ground. This phenomenon is often seen with cumulus, cumulonimbus, altocumulus, stratocumulus, cirrocumulus, nimbostratus, and altostratus. See also CLOUD CLASSIFICATION.

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY

praecipitatio

views updated May 18 2018

praecipitatio The Latin praecipitatio, meaning ‘I fall’, used to describe a supplementary cloud feature in which precipitation from the cloud base falls to the ground. The feature is usually seen with cumulus, cumulonimbus, stratus, stratocumulus, altostratus, and nimbostratus. See also cloud classification.

A Dictionary of Ecology MICHAEL ALLABY

praecipitatio

views updated May 08 2018

praecipitatio From the Latin praecipitatio meaning ‘I fall’, a supplementary cloud feature in which precipitation from the cloud base falls to the ground. The feature is usually seen with cumulus, cumulonimbus, stratus, stratocumulus, altostratus, and nimbostratus. See also CLOUD CLASSIFICATION.

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY

stratocumulus

views updated May 14 2018

stratocumulus From the Latin stratus, meaning ‘flattened’ or ‘spread out’ and cumulus, meaning ‘heap’, the name of a cloud composed of sheets or layers of grey to whitish appearance, typically with dark patches which are not fibrous. See also cloud classification.

A Dictionary of Ecology MICHAEL ALLABY

stratocumulus

views updated May 08 2018

stratocumulus From the Latin stratus meaning ‘flattened’ or ‘spread out’ and cumulus meaning ‘heap’, a cloud composed of sheets or layers of grey to whitish appearance, typically with dark patches which are not fibrous. See also CLOUD CLASSIFICATION.

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY