Green Thunderstorms
I can't say that I've ever seen a green thunderstorm (i.e. the sky appearing to turn green during a storm), but apparently a lot of people have. The phenomenon was the subject of a 1997 PhD dissertation written by Frank Gallagher at the University of Oklahoma School of Meteorology. Gallagher wrote:
Gallagher concluded that green thunderstorms are real:
And why do thunderstorms sometimes turn green?
A famous example in art of a green sky during a severe weather event can be seen in John Steuart Curry's 1929 painting Tornado over Kansas.
Many people around the world have observed green light apparently emanating from severe thunderstorms, but until recently there has been no scientific study of the phenomenon. Green thunderstorms have been observed from time to time in association with deep convection or severe weather events. Some skeptics who have not personally observed a green thunderstorm suggest that they are some kind of illusion.
Gallagher concluded that green thunderstorms are real:
The existence of green thunderstorms has been objectively demonstrated by recording spectra of light from thunderstorms using a handheld spectrophotometer. During the spring and summer of 1995 and the spring of 1996 numerous storms were observed and spectra of the light emanating from these storms were recorded. Observations were made both at the ground and aboard research aircraft.
And why do thunderstorms sometimes turn green?
Bohren believes that reddened sunlight in combination with filtering done by naturally blue-colored water creates green light. Given our observations, this is the most likely explanation for the green light. Our observations and calculations indicate that, depending on the microphysical parameters of the cloud, sunlight transmitted by the cloud may appear green.
A famous example in art of a green sky during a severe weather event can be seen in John Steuart Curry's 1929 painting Tornado over Kansas.
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Category: Weather