Stunning Rainbow-like 'Iridescent Pileus Cloud' Appears Over Chinese City, Video Goes Viral

There is not one but many mesmerising phenomenon in nature that can take our breath away. But have you ever seen a iridescent pileus cloud?

Iridescent pileus cloud spotted in China

A unique phenomenon showing colourful iridescence formed on a pileus cloud appeared in Puning City in south China's Guangdong Province. At first glance it looks like a rainbow, but it's actually a cloud.

Screengrab/Twitter

The colourful cloud was annex to a huge cumulus cloud. The spectacular colours of this phenomenon were further enhanced by the picturesque setting of Puning City.

Pileus, sometimes called cap clouds or scarf clouds, are smooth clouds that form atop a growing cumulus or cumulonimbus cloud.

A spectacular Iridescent pileus cloud pic.twitter.com/RrjO7T3H9m

¡ª Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) August 26, 2022

The stunning video was shared by Science Girl on Twitter. "A spectacular Iridescent pileus cloud," reads the caption on the post.

The video has garnered more than 13 million views and over 5 lakh likes.

What is iridescent pileus cloud?

Iridescent pileus clouds are caused by particularly tiny ice crystals or water droplets in the air. Larger ice crystals produce lunar or solar halos, but tiny ice crystals or water droplets cause light to be diffracted ¨C spread out ¨C creating this rainbow-like effect in the clouds.

Representational Image/Reuters

Pileus clouds are often short-lived, with the main cloud beneath them rising through convection to absorb them. They are formed by strong updraft at lower altitudes, acting upon moist air above, causing the air to cool to its dew point.

The clouds must be very thin and made of ice crystals or water droplets of uniform size. So cloud iridescence usually happens in lenticular or alto-cumulus, cirrus and cirrocumulus clouds.

For more trending stories, follow us on Telegram.