Sky turns pink and purple over Wales

8 December 2023

Image source, Rich Mayled
Image caption,
There were some strange skies over Wales on Thursday, like this almost crimson scene in Treforest, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Image source, Misty Dawn
Image caption,
There was a lighter hue over Cardiff, but many were still taken aback by what they could see
Image source, Brimrod
Image caption,
The clouds above these houses in Glynneath, Neath Port Talbot, turned an ominous purple
Image source, Welsh Hillbilly
Image caption,
This is how it looked in Llangwyryfon, Ceredigion
Image source, Ani-Caul
Image caption,
The sunset over Penmon on Anglesey was particularly moody

People excitedly turned their phones to the heavens on Thursday to capture the moment the sky over Wales turned different hues of pink.

Many wondered what was causing the odd weather phenomena.

The answer is down to sunlight being made up of the seven colours of the rainbow - all of which we do not normally see.

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Pink sky: Why did the clouds above Wales change colour?

As light interacts with particles in the atmosphere, it gets bounced around and scattered, enabling us to see certain colours more vividly.

But a low sun meant light had to travel further to reach us, scattering blue light elsewhere and leaving us with the redder end of the spectrum.

Illuminating the varying cloud levels, and combined with darkening blue skies, that made the sky appear pink and purple.