COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — If you have noticed wisps underneath the clouds in the last couple of weeks, you are seeing evaporating rain.
This phenomenon, which appears as haze or rain shafts dropping out of clouds but not making it all the way to the ground, happens frequently in Colorado for a few reasons.
First, storm bases in Colorado are often fairly high above the ground compared to other parts of the U.S. This means rain has further to fall to hit the ground.
Second, the air in Colorado is often very dry near the ground. When the rain falls into this dry air, it evaporates, similar to how a swamp cooler works.
When water evaporates, it cools the air. That cooling causes the air to sink rapidly. When the sinking air hits the ground, it spreads out and creates wind. This is why it is often suddenly gusty when you see those evaporating rain wisps nearby.
Ultimately, this means the local terrain is partly why eastern Colorado gets less rain than it otherwise would. A significant fraction of rain falling out of the clouds, doesn't make it to your garden.
This story was written and reported on-air by a journalist and was converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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