My spouse and I saw this in the sky last Thursday about 4:50 pm in Johnson City, New York. We were having a mixed rain/snow shower and we suddenly saw this rainbow - or snowbow? in the eastern sky, while driving.
I took a couple of pictures through the windshield of our car.
Looking online, I find that there may (or may) not be such a thing as a snowbow.
This says no.
This says yes, but what they describe isn't what I saw.
What I think I saw, though, was a true rainbow, produced by the rain component of the shower.
Still, it's the first time I've ever seen a rainbow associated with snow.
To my science minded readers - what do you think?
I have seen many a rainbow without visible rain (it was raining far away)- and some snow can form when the air near the earth is colder than above- which happens near fast moving fronts... So.... I vote yes.
ReplyDeleteHum! Hum! I'm no scientist. But it seems to me that this effect is caused by sunshine and water. Snowbow sounds perfect to me.
ReplyDeleteI've seen a "snowbow" before, Alana, so--so far your commenters all vote YES! (Though I'm far from being science-minded, I am intensely curious about the world around me. Does that count?) Beautiful picture, by the way!
ReplyDeleteGreat question and point... How about a hailbow!
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