ORLANDO, Fla. – Over the last few days, our PinIt! page has been lighting up with photos from viewers across Central Florida showing unusual streaks of sunlight cutting through the sky during sunrise and sunset.
So what are these beautiful rays of light? This phenomenon is called “crepuscular rays.”
What are crepuscular rays?
Crepuscular rays are those visible beams of sunlight that appear to fan out from the sun, often around sunrise and sunset. While they might look like something out of a painting, they’re caused by a pretty straightforward interaction between light and our atmosphere.
Why do we see them?
As the sun sits low on the horizon in the early morning or evening, its light has to travel through more of the Earth’s atmosphere.
If there are towering clouds, or thunderstorms in the way, they can block parts of that light, creating shadows.
Dust, moisture and tiny particles in the atmosphere help scatter that sunlight, making the beams more visible. This ends up creating a dramatic sunlight streaks in the sky.
Crepuscular ray season
Lately, we’ve had the perfect recipe for crepuscular rays across the region. Our typical afternoon thunderstorms have been leaving behind scattered clouds right around sunset. Combine that with drier air, Saharan dust and we get sharper and more defined beams.
Another factor is the sun’s angle this time of the year a bit lower in the sky, enhance these light patterns in the early morning and evening hours.
If you are able to snap a photo of this phenomenon over the next few days, send them our way via our News6 Weather App or on ClickOrlando.com/Pins.