What an incredible phenomenon! “Rainbow clouds,” also known as iridescent clouds, are a rare and stunning sight. They occur when tiny water droplets or ice crystals in the atmosphere diffract sunlight in a specific way, creating this vibrantly colored effect in the sky. It’s amazing to think that this extraordinary phenomenon lit up the Arctic skies for three whole days. It must have been a truly spectacular sight for anyone lucky enough to witness it!

Bright clouds

“Glow clouds,” also known as noctilucent clouds, are a very special type of cloud that forms high in the atmosphere, about 47 to 54 miles (76 to 85 kilometers) above the Earth’s surface in the mesosphere. They are composed primarily of tiny ice crystals and are only visible during morning or evening twilight, when the sun is below the horizon but still illuminates the clouds in the sky. Their bright, often bluish or silvery appearance makes them a stunning celestial spectacle for observers. These clouds are a fascinating and beautiful phenomenon, often seen at higher latitudes during the summer months.

El Niño and Climate Change

El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon characterized by anomalous warming of surface waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, which can have significant effects on global climate. During an El Niño event, sea surface temperatures rise in the central and eastern Pacific, influencing wind patterns and atmospheric conditions around the world.

Climate change can amplify or alter the effects of El Niño. For example, global warming is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of El Niño events. This could result in more extreme weather impacts, such as more severe droughts, intense flooding, changes in precipitation and temperature patterns, and even extreme weather events, such as more intense and prolonged storms.

Furthermore, climate change can interact with other complex climate systems, creating even more unpredictable and variable outcomes. While El Niño is a natural phenomenon, climate change is altering how it manifests itself and the impacts it has on the global climate. This highlights the importance of understanding and continually monitoring these phenomena to improve our ability to adapt to and mitigate their impacts.