Easties in S'pore marvel at rare iridescent clouds on 49th day of Circuit Breaker

The sights of nature have been a source of comfort and joy for some people in Singapore.

That ranges from blooming wildflowers on the streets, to majestic flashes of lightning in the past few weeks.

Iridescent clouds in the East

On May 25 evening, some residents in the East caught sight of another rare natural phenomenon — cloud iridescence.

According to witnesses, the cloud iridescence only lasted for around 10 to 15 minutes, from around 5:50pm to 6:05pm.

This splotch of rainbow behind the clouds seems to be most prominent at Tampines and Pasir Ris.

Here's how it looks:

These iridescent clouds can be spotted when tiny ice crystals or water droplets diffract (bend) light, creating a rainbow-like effect in the clouds.

These usually appear behind altocumulus, cirrocumulus clouds, and lenticular clouds.

While it does not happen often, this is not the first time that cloud iridescence has been spotted in Singapore.

Top photos taken by Tan Yong Lin and Nori Ishmael

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