Pink haze blankets the UK: Brits stunned by rose-tinted skies

The British public is confused by a unique atmospheric event that has painted the December sky in a striking pink hue.

‘Pink haze’ happens when sunlight filters through tiny particles like dust or humidity in the atmosphere, as explained by meteorologists at theMet Office.

“When sunlight passes through multiple layers, it removes the blue light and spreads it, allowing the red to pass through,” said Met Office representative Graham Madge.

It’s like a sunrise passing through the air and the mist, resulting in that pinkish color.

On social media, Britons shared their photos of the impressive view, which has covered the sky in areas throughout southeast England.

TikTokUser @crazytailsuk claimed their video clip had ‘no filter’ because the sky looked like a vibrant Barbie-themed color.

One individual responded by stating, “it was soooo pink this morning in Hertfordshire,” while another wrote: “Sunrise pink fog…….. I would have been thrilled.”

Another TikTok user humorously stated that she was “up in the mountains” and required assistance as she walked along a neighborhood street.

As per Mr Madge, the pink haze—essentially a sunrise passing through the air—relies on specific local factors and may be overlooked easily.

A ‘surreal’ pink haze swept over sections of British Columbia in Canada on a January morning last year, as reported by aCBC report.

Darius Mahdavi, a climate expert and science presenter with the network, described the pink fog as “an extremely rare occurrence.”

“Sunlight must travel through additional layers of the atmosphere – or, in this instance, the suspended water droplets that form the fog,” he stated.

Some of the colors, particularly the blues, [then] are dispersed, allowing the reds, oranges, and pinks to reach your vision.

But the circumstances need to be exactly correct and are nearly impossible to forecast, so it’s really about being in the right location at the right moment.

At that moment, a Kelowna local mentioned it lasted approximately 10 to 15 minutes, ascending into the sky and then descending before fading away into regular gray.

A pink haze had previously enveloped areas in southwest England during February 2019, such as Somerset and Shropshire.

Why does mist turn red?

“A pink haze” is a natural occurrence where sunlight filters through different layers of fog at dawn or dusk, according to a representative from the Met Office.

Fog is basically a cloud that forms at the surface, consisting of minuscule water droplets. As the sun remains low on the horizon, its rays pass through a greater portion of the atmosphere. The shorter wavelengths, such as blue and green light, get dispersed, allowing the longer red wavelengths to become more prominent. This altered light passing through fog results in a pink or reddish appearance.

Pink mist is solely an optical phenomenon; it does not signal any special weather danger other than typical fog risks, like decreased visibility.

Mr. Madge mentioned that the impressive view was probably witnessed by a fortunate few who happened to be in the correct location at the appropriate moment.

“It will vary based on local circumstances, and those circumstances were favorable for a select few to experience it,” he said.the Sun at the time.

As per today’s forecast from the Met Office, London and the southeast experienced a ‘misty and icy beginning,’ which was colder than recent mornings.

However, the morning is experiencing rising cloud cover and refreshing breezes, which are gradually causing the fog and frost to dissipate.

Nevertheless, there is a possibility of rain in the afternoon, and this evening will likely be cloudy with occasional breaks.

Rain and mist may lead to flooding and travel issues on Wednesday in certain areas of south Wales and south-western, central, and eastern England.

The UK Weather Service stated: ‘A phase of rainfall, which can be intense at times, particularly on elevated areas, will progress slowly towards the east across this area throughout Wednesday.’

Following recent heavy rainfall, travel delays and flooding are expected in most parts of the affected region.

Additionally, this week, weather experts have verified that Britain has experienced an unusually mild climate in the days leading up to Christmas.

In certain regions of the country, temperatures have reached up to 15°C (59°F), with conditions seldom dropping below zero.

Jim Dale, a senior meteorologist with the British Weather Services and co-author of ‘Surviving Extreme Weather’, stated to the Daily Mail that the UK is experiencing an exceptionally active jet stream.

This is the system of rapidly moving air located approximately five to seven miles above the surface, which directs weather fronts and low-pressure areas toward the UK.

Since November, Mr Dale mentions that the jet stream has been ‘largely positioned above us,’ leading to a series of warm, rainy, and windy conditions.

Unusual weather and climatic events

Pink fog– the sky seems to turn pink because of fog dispersing light
Anticyclonic gloom– constant gray, lifeless, and misty weather that causes the sun to vanish for days or even longer. One such condition was described by travel writer Bill Bryson as “like living inside a Tupperware container.”
Thundersnow – snowfall combined with thunder and lightning – snowfall occurring alongside thunder and lightning – snowfall taking place with thunder and lightning – snowfall accompanied by thunder and lightning – snowfall that is accompanied by thunder and lightning
Ice halo– vivid circles created by sunlight bouncing and bending through minuscule ice particles in the air
Sprites – big, reddish-orange electrical phenomena found at an altitude of approximately 30-55 miles above major thunderstorms
Diamond dust– cloud at ground level made up of small ice particles
Northern lights– a vibrant illumination created when charged particles from the solar wind interact with Earth’s atmosphere

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