#1 out of 733.9M est. views7.74%
weather5h ago
Rare Rainbow Clouds Appear in Iceland Thanks To Freezing Temperatures
- A rare rainbow cloud event occurred in Iceland as record cold sparked polar stratospheric clouds in daylight.
- Photographer Jónína Guðrún Óskarsdóttir captured the moment, documenting it alongside her landscape work.
- PSC colors arise when sunlight refracts through ice crystals formed in frigid stratospheric air.
- Nacreous variants, also called mother-of-pearl clouds, need even colder temperatures to form.
- The photographer says she often sees colorful clouds two or three times a year.
- The moment occurred toward the end of January during an exceptionally cold spell.
- Óskarsdóttir photographs to decompress from her demanding nursing job at a small healthcare center.
- The feature was shared with My Modern Met, which granted permission to publish Óskarsdóttir’s photos.
- The event followed a trend of dramatic sky phenomena highlighted on My Modern Met’s related articles.
- The article explains PSCs form when very cold air causes water vapor to crystallize into ice.
Vote 11








