San Diego’s sunrises and sunsets — especially in the fall and winter — are unparalleled. But why are the colors so vibrant? What’s happening in the sky? NBC 7 meteorologist Sheena Parveen breaks it all down for us, and give us a few tips for optimal viewing.
San Diego's skies were illuminated a vibrant red at sunset Monday. Some might say it was a Halloween omen but a meteorologist would tell you it's perfectly explainable.
In typical San Diego fashion, locals across the county whipped out their cell phones and cameras to capture the not-rare-but-always-captivating phenomenon. Take a look at some of their incredible captures:
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
Why does San Diego get such awesome sunsets?
There is a reason why Monday's Halloween sunset was so spectacular. Actually, a few reasons that combined to create the perfect concoction of elements.
First, the season. The late fall and winter is usually the best time to catch a vibrant San Diego sunset. That's because the air is drier and cooler, NBC 7 Meteorologist Sheena Parveen said. This time of year, there are also fewer particles in the air, which scatter light.
Local
"The [fewer] particles in the atmosphere cause pictures to be clearer and also just to the naked eye, things are most vibrant," Parveen said. "So when you have less dust, less smog, less haze in the atmosphere, colors are brighter, more clear."
Then, the timing. Red and orange hues are more potent during sunset than other times of the day due to something called Rayleigh Scattering. Rayleigh Scattering has to do with the scattering of the sun's rays through the atmosphere, Parveen said. During sunset, the light travels through more atmosphere -- and more natural gases -- to get to our eyes. Those natural gases help illuminate the sunset.
Another important factor in creating a perfect San Diego sunset: clouds. Parveen said sunsets are more vivid when clouds are higher in the sky because they can better reflect light.
"Some of the best sunrises and sunsets come from high-to-mid-level clouds," Parveen said.
So, Monday's sunset was the perfect witches' brew of high clouds, crisp air and timing to create a potent red sky.
