Strange rainbow clouds in Dallas/Fort Worth

TangoWhiskey

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
Messages
14,210
Location
Midlothian, TX
Display Name

Display name:
3Green
What do you think caused it?

http://www.nbc5i.com/weather/4753431/detail.html

4756273.jpg


4753585.jpg


4754045_400X300.jpg
 
NickDBrennan said:
[smartass response]
I would say it was caused by the bending of the sunlight, displaying the full spectrum, much like a prism
[/smartass response]

That is pretty cool tho.

The article suggested that possibility, but don't you think you'd see it more often? Another possibility that was presented was an aircraft had dumped some jet fuel... thus the "oil slick" effect as the sun passed through it at that angle.
 
Wow that's cool! I've seen lots of halos (see avatar!) but never anything quite like that.
It would help to know where the sun was relative to the colorful clouds. With ice crystals under rare circumstances, weird halos can be seen at 180 degrees from the sun, for instance.

http://amanda.wisc.edu/kath/polepage/dec18halo.html

--Kath
 
Last edited:
Actually, any cloud composed of ice crystals will show those kinds of colors, and the sun angle, other clouds, etc., will take care of the rest (i.e., in determining how the colors show up). You would not see that effect with dumping of jet fuel, I'm pretty sure, because (a) it would tend to melt or cover the ice crystals and (b) doesn't have the same refractive properties.

Judy
 
judypilot said:
Actually, any cloud composed of ice crystals will show those kinds of colors, and the sun angle, other clouds, etc., will take care of the rest (i.e., in determining how the colors show up). You would not see that effect with dumping of jet fuel, I'm pretty sure, because (a) it would tend to melt or cover the ice crystals and (b) doesn't have the same refractive properties.

ICE CRYSTALS?! At that low of an altitude in TEXAS!? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Note how low the cloud appears, below the cirrus above it. I saw this cloud, it wasn't higher than 10K or so; and trust me, it's not below freezing at 10K in July in Texas.
 
I have seen that numorous times out here in AZ. couldnt tell you what is is though. I kinda suspect ailien activity.
 
Michael said:
I have seen that numorous times out here in AZ. couldnt tell you what is is though. I kinda suspect ailien activity.

Chem Trails. Anyone interested in learning more about this serious threat to our lives and security, google "chem trails". :eek:

:D

-Skip
 
Troy Whistman said:
ICE CRYSTALS?! At that low of an altitude in TEXAS!? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Note how low the cloud appears, below the cirrus above it. I saw this cloud, it wasn't higher than 10K or so; and trust me, it's not below freezing at 10K in July in Texas.


TW,

Hm. Somehow I missed or didn't see the middle picture. Yeah, I gotta admit it does look strange.

Judy
 
Michael said:
I have seen that numorous times out here in AZ. couldnt tell you what is is though. I kinda suspect ailien activity.

doo doo doo doot, doo doo doo doot :D
 
Troy Whistman said:
ICE CRYSTALS?! At that low of an altitude in TEXAS!? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Note how low the cloud appears, below the cirrus above it. I saw this cloud, it wasn't higher than 10K or so; and trust me, it's not below freezing at 10K in July in Texas.

Seems to me it would not have to be ice, water droplets would do the same thing...
 
I'm going to go with fuel jettison, or chemtrails. ;)
 
kath said:
Wow that's cool! I've seen lots of halos (see avatar!) but never anything quite like that.
It would help to know where the sun was relative to the colorful clouds. With ice crystals under rare circumstances, weird halos can be seen at 180 degrees from the sun, for instance.

http://amanda.wisc.edu/kath/polepage/dec18halo.html

--Kath

Those are beautiful pictures Kath!


This looks very much like a circumzenithal arc which is related to Kath's halos. (Take a look at the top arc on the first picture on her link)

Out comes the reference book: Circumzenithal arcs: The curve is centered on the zenith and only when the sun 18-26 degrees from the horizon. It is caused by refraction through horizontally oriented hexagonal plates and is refracted through one side and one face of the crystal. Viewing - all year throughout North America.

I bet the crystals creating that effect are very thin alto-cirrus in much the same way that Kath's halo's are appearing in otherwise clear sky.
 
Last edited:
pretty. We get clouds and stuff that seems to hang in clear air like that a lot around here in the winter, with full circles and sun dogs, and some really spectacular virga that gets rainbowed--now that is cool, it almost looks like an aurora in the daylight.

But I think the alien theory isn't far off.

terry
 
Troy Whistman said:
ICE CRYSTALS?! At that low of an altitude in TEXAS!? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Note how low the cloud appears, below the cirrus above it. I saw this cloud, it wasn't higher than 10K or so; and trust me, it's not below freezing at 10K in July in Texas.

I dunno... On my way to Houston I saw an OAT of 30 F over Lufkin descending from 12,500. So, while it wasn't July and I don't think I was down to 10,000 yet, it can at least come close on a hot day. I would imagine that after a cold front goes through that temps around freezing at 10K in July are quite possible.
 
Back
Top