What It Means If You See A Rare Rainbow Cloud In North Dakota

Sometimes, we like to look up and gaze at the sky. Now that the weather is getting a little bit warmer, we'll probably spend a little bit more time outside and be able to do this.

I was looking out of my window yesterday evening and noticed a beautiful pink and purple sunset. I thought to myself that it had been a long time since I had sat there and taken in the beauty of nature.

This got me thinking: What are some unique things I can look for here in North Dakota? I stumbled upon something called "Rainbow clouds."

Colorful North Dakota Skies

You might notice something unique while taking in the beauty of North Dakota's skies.

Have you ever seen a rainbow cloud? If so, you've probably wondered what causes such a beautiful phenomenon.

I looked it up and according to SciJinks.gov, this is called cloud iridescence. The source says this happens because of diffraction when small water droplets or ice crystals scatter the sun's light.

It's quite beautiful to behold.

If you're having trouble picturing what this may look like, allow me to help. You've probably seen a rainbow, right? Imagine that, but it lights up a cloud instead of spreading across the sky in a band.

How Often Do They Occur?

Rainbow clouds are pretty rare. The source says the clouds have to be thin, and the water droplets or ice crystals have to be relatively the same size.

Take some time over the next few days to look up and see if you spot any of these beautiful clouds. Sometimes, we get so busy in our everyday lives that we forget to take in our surroundings.

If you spot these clouds, take a pic and send it to us in our app; we'd love to see it!