Spectacular solar halo captured in Barcelos announces the arrival of rain

A spectacular solar halo was seen this Wednesday morning from Barcelos, announcing the approach of rain.

The image demonstrates the ring-shaped optical phenomenon, caused by the refraction of light and ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere.

Consisting of a luminous ring centered on the sun or moon (in this case it is a lunar halo), it is caused by the presence of cirrostratus clouds and is due to the angle of incidence of solar radiation or moonlight with the cirrostratus layer.

This type of clouds is typically associated with the harbinger of the arrival of rain, which, according to forecasts from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), should happen from tomorrow, Thursday.

The arc occurs when the sun’s rays encounter tiny ice crystals in cirrus and cirrostratus clouds (thin thick clouds located at high altitudes of up to 12 kilometers) and refract their light at the same angle, giving rise to a ring visible during the day.

According to observatory literature, the most common halos form at an angle of 22 degrees.

As O MINHO reported, the weather will start to ‘turn’ from tomorrow, with the arrival of rain and a sharp drop in temperatures.

Snowfall is even expected at the highest points of the Peneda-Gerês National Park, especially between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.

With Fernando André Silva