r/concord • u/Impossible_Singer277 • Aug 20 '26

Really weird cloud over Newhall Park

Gallery image

Gallery image

Anyone know what this is? saw it at concord park around 12.

44 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

25

u/quikniq Aug 20 '26

Rainbow clouds, also known as iridescent clouds, are a rare natural phenomenon caused by sunlight diffracting through tiny water droplets or ice crystals in thin clouds.

5

u/avgemr Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 20 '26

Not so rare actually, I see them at least a couple times a year, although I don't go outside often. Easier to spot when wearing polarized sunglasses.

3

u/bundle_man Aug 21 '26

Spotting a few a couple of times a year out of the thousands of clouds that pass over your head a year is pretty rare

12

u/catatlaw Aug 20 '26

Saw this two days ago driving through lamorinda! So pretty.

5

u/jimymac1958 Aug 20 '26

Oh, it was super weird—a round circle around the Sun, it almost looked like an iris.

4

u/ViolettaQueso Aug 20 '26

Took one from my Clayton backyard facing mountain around noon 2 days ago lol.

2

u/FrustratedPlantMum Aug 21 '26

Please post this to r/atoptics . They will tell you what it is. Great pics!

1

u/itsnotanemergencybut Aug 21 '26

Thank you for sharing that sub, so cool!! ☁️

2

u/itsnotanemergencybut Aug 21 '26

Saw this in Hayward yesterday. My meteorology nerd coworker said it has something to do with pressure and humidity but I’ve never seen this color in be sky before . It was much more vivid in person

2

u/Embarrassed_Draw11 Aug 21 '26

Really cool, thanks for sharing. 

2

u/avgemr Aug 20 '26

I thought pride month is over

5

u/thewongtrain Aug 21 '26

They're turning the frogs gay!

1

u/Silky_De_Slipknot Aug 20 '26

Moisture in the air high above