SAEDNEWS: A fiery rainbow is a rare atmospheric phenomenon. It occurs when sunlight passes through ice crystals present in cirrus clouds. As the light refracts through these ice crystals, it creates this striking and captivating display.
According to the Science Service of Saed News, the fiery rainbow, scientifically known as a “circumhorizontal arc,” is a rare atmospheric phenomenon that often appears like a colorful painting in the sky. Despite its name, this phenomenon is neither fire nor a rainbow! A fiery rainbow occurs when sunlight passes through ice crystals present in cirrus clouds.
For this phenomenon to form, several conditions must be met: the sun must be at an angle higher than 58 degrees above the horizon, and the hexagonal ice crystals in the clouds must be perfectly aligned horizontally. This combination disperses the light, creating beautiful colored bands that appear like multicolored flames across the sky.
Fiery rainbows are most commonly seen in tropical regions, but under the right conditions, they can appear elsewhere as well. Beyond their visual beauty, these arcs also serve as indicators of cirrus clouds in the atmosphere, providing insights for predicting weather changes.
