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UK's Rare Pink Fog: Science Behind the Spectacle
17 Dec
Summary
- Sunlight passing through fog scatters blue light, leaving red hues.
- Fog appeared pink due to sunlight filtering through atmosphere at sunrise.
- The rare phenomenon requires perfect conditions of fog thickness and timing.
Skies across Britain were bathed in a soft pink hue on Wednesday morning due to an unusual atmospheric phenomenon. The vibrant colour was caused by sunlight interacting with widespread fog layers, a rare sight that surprised many.
The Met Office explained that fog, essentially a ground-level cloud, is composed of tiny water droplets. When the sun is low on the horizon, its light travels through more atmosphere. This process scatters shorter blue and green light wavelengths, allowing the longer red wavelengths to dominate. When this filtered light passes through the fog, it imparts a pink or rosy tint.
Experts noted that this 'pink fog' is purely an optical effect, with no additional hazards beyond typical fog-related visibility issues. Such an event requires very specific conditions: the fog must coincide precisely with sunrise, and its thickness and droplet characteristics must be just right to mute the sunrise colours into a distinct pink glow.
