What is virga?

Virga refers to the phenomenon where rain falls from a cloud but evaporates before reaching the ground. This occurs when the air beneath the cloud is warm and dry enough to turn the falling precipitation into vapor. Rather than hitting the earth, you might observe streaks of precipitation hanging from the cloud as it dissipates into the atmosphere. This occurs commonly in dry regions or during certain meteorological conditions where humidity is low near the surface.

The other choices describe different weather-related concepts but do not accurately define virga. Thunderstorms are distinct weather events that involve heavy precipitation and possibly severe conditions. Indicators of severe weather conditions can include various phenomena, but virga itself does not directly indicate severity without the context of associated weather systems. High-altitude clouds describe a specific type of cloud formation that is unrelated to the evaporation of precipitation before it hits the ground.