Rare Pink Fog Envelops Britain, Creating Surreal Sunrise Spectacle
A captivating atmospheric phenomenon turned skies across parts of Britain a soft shade of pink on Wednesday morning, as low-lying fog interacted with the sunrise. The unusual display, a result of light scattering through water droplets, prompted a yellow weather warning from meteorologists.
The pink fog formed as temperatures dropped overnight, creating widespread fog banks. A senior official at the met office explained that a yellow warning was issued for a large area of central and northern England, remaining in effect until 10 a.m. local time, due to the fog’s persistence and potential to disrupt travel. especially dense patches developed across the East Midlands and Cambridgeshire, where reduced visibility was anticipated to create tough driving conditions.
Fog, fundamentally, is a cloud that forms at ground level, composed of minuscule water droplets suspended in the air. The distinctive pink hue arises from a specific interaction between sunlight and these droplets. According to a Met Office spokesperson, “Fog is essentially a cloud at ground level made up of tiny water droplets. When the sun is low on the horizon,its light travels through more of the atmosphere. Shorter wavelengths are scattered out, leaving the longer red wavelengths to dominate. When this filtered light shines through fog, it gives the fog a pink or rosy hue.”
The effect is most commonly observed during sunrise and sunset, when sunlight traverses a greater distance through the atmosphere. A striking image captured in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, showed cobwebs adorned with dewdrops, enveloped by the rosy-tinted fog.
Despite its otherworldly appearance, experts emphasize that the pink fog is a purely optical effect and poses no unusual weather hazards beyond the typical risks associated with fog, such as limited visibility. One analyst noted, “It’s important to note that pink fog is purely an optical effect. It does not indicate any unusual weather hazard beyond normal fog risks, such as reduced visibility.”
The phenomenon isn’t entirely unprecedented in the UK. Similar conditions were observed in 2019, when fog across parts of south-west England also took on a pinkish tinge. Though, Dr. Claire Ryder, an associate professor at the University of Reading, highlighted the rarity of the event, stating, “This effect is caused by a reddish sunrise being ‘filtered’ by the fog. The sunrise produces the red light, by removing the bluer colours, and then the small fog droplets scatter the light more, dimming the effect, giving it a muted pink glow.”
Dr. Ryder elaborated on the precise conditions required for the effect to
News Report Update:
Why did this happen? The rare pink fog was caused by a specific interaction between sunlight and water droplets in low-lying fog. As the sun rose, its light traveled through a greater distance of the atmosphere, scattering shorter wavelengths and leaving longer red wavelengths to dominate.These red wavelengths then shone through the fog, creating the pink hue.
Who was affected? The phenomenon was observed across parts of Britain, particularly in central and northern England, with dense patches in the East Midlands and Cambridgeshire. The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for these areas due to reduced visibility and potential travel disruptions.
What occurred? A widespread fog formed overnight as temperatures dropped. This fog, combined with a reddish sunrise, created a surreal pink glow across the skies. The event was similar to a previous occurrence in 2019 in southwest England.
How did it end? The yellow weather warning remained in effect until 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday. As the sun rose higher and the fog dissipated, the pink hue gradually faded. Experts confirmed the fog posed no unusual hazards beyond typical fog-related risks like limited visibility. The event concluded as normal daytime conditions returned.
