Hyderabadis witness sun halo on Saturday; does it mean rain to follow?

Hyderabad: On Saturday at noon, Hyderabadis witnessed a bright rainbow ring around the sun for a few minutes. It is a rare optical and atmospheric phenomenon called ‘22 degree circular halo’.

There’s old weather saying that a ring around the sun or moon means rain soon. And weather experts say there is truth to this saying.

The halo effect occurs when ice crystals refract and reflect the light as cirrus clouds spread thinly across the moon or sun. Usually, the light is bent in a way it creates a 22-degree halo.

To put it simply, a sun halo means that rain will occur within 24 hours because the cirrostratus clouds that cause these halos usually mean a front is near.

According to experts, if the cirrus clouds are coming from a system that’s to our south or north, that means the unsettled weather could miss us as it moves eastward. If the system and associated clouds are more to our west, there’s a better chance it could come our way.

Weather folklore says that sun halos can actually be a great visual tool for forecasting weather.