There are natural phenomena you may not know about, either because they rarely occur or because you are located in a geographic area that does not experience such abnormalities. These phenomena can be either very strange or magnificent, and witnessing them even once can leave a strong and unforgettable impression.
Rare Natural Phenomena That Are Astonishing
Let’s see if you are familiar with these phenomena:
1. Waterspouts
A waterspout is a phenomenon that appears as a large and extremely powerful vortex on the water’s surface, capable of sucking in anything that falls within its control and pulling it down to the bottom. The first waterspout was described in Moskstraumen (Netherlands), caused by two very strong ocean currents. The seabed there is where two underground water currents converge, manifesting as two ocean currents.
2. Fire Rainbows
The term “fire rainbow” can be misleading. In reality, it refers to a circumhorizon arc. It is primarily a collection of ice halos formed by ice crystals in high-altitude clouds. This colorful spectacle is not very rare, often seen in areas near the equator during summer, but it rarely appears in Central or Northern Europe.
Of course, it does not form like the rainbows we usually see. Light passes through hexagonal ice crystals vertically and then through the nearest horizontal surface. When aligned in a straight line, it makes the entire cloud reflect seven colors of the rainbow.
3. Tornadoes
A tornado is a swirling column of water that rises from the water’s surface, connecting various masses into a cumulonimbus cloud.
Typically, they are weaker than tornadoes on land, but there are also much more intense waterspouts that pull water into the sky at high speeds and with immense power.
They can be tornadoes or not. When they are not tornadoes, they are weaker and less dangerous, with wind speeds below 30 m/s. In the case of tornadoes, the core is the “eye” of the tornado. The volume of water drawn up by the tornado is massive, and if you witness it once, you will never forget it.
The “relatives” of tornadoes are “snowspouts” or “icespouts.” “Snowspouts” occur when a tornado forms during a snowstorm. They are so rare that only six photographs of them have been captured throughout history.
4. Fish Rain in Honduras
This phenomenon is truly extraordinary. For over a century, it has rained fish once a year.
Every year, between May and July, a dark cloud appears in the sky, followed by thunder and heavy rain lasting 2-3 hours. At the end of the rain, people go outside to find hundreds of live fish wriggling on the ground, which naturally become a proud meal for the lucky ones.
While the reason remains unexplained, everyone believes that strong winds and whirlwinds lift the fish into the sky, traveling up to 200 km. All the fish are freshwater fish, not marine. National Geographic sent a team to investigate, and they found that the fish were not local and were all blind, leading to the hypothesis that these fish live in some undiscovered underground river. Visiting Honduras in the summer, you might just be lucky enough to catch one.
5. Moonbows
You have likely seen rainbows after rain, but have you ever encountered a rainbow at night? Although rare, it does occur. It is called “moonbow” (also known as lunar rainbow or white rainbow). Of course, the light emitted by the Moon is weaker than sunlight, so the colors are not visible to the naked eye (or very faint), making the moonbow appear only as a white arc of light.
The best chance to witness a moonbow is on a full moon night or during the 16th lunar day when the moonlight is at its brightest, with clear skies and rain falling right in front of the moon.
6. Ice Pillars
Ice crystallizes into sharp spikes that grow together to form a massive field of ice pillars, typically seen only at high latitudes. The height of these ice pillars varies from a few centimeters to over 2 meters. The pure white, shimmering ice pillars have fascinated researchers since Darwin’s time. This great naturalist was the first to see and describe them.
The formation mechanism of the ice pillar field is quite complex, influenced by many factors: the melting of ice in one area and sublimation in another causes the ice surface to become uneven. Wind amplifies the differences, creating a more undulating ice surface. Solar radiation reflecting off this uneven surface contributes to the extreme differences, resulting in deep troughs and sharp peaks, eventually forming the ice pillar field.
7. Supercells
Supercells are rotating air-water columns that draw from below during a major thunderstorm. They can occur anywhere in the world, lasting 2-3 hours, and can sometimes split into two storms moving in opposite directions.
Supercells often produce hail, heavy rain, extremely strong winds, and as they descend, they can pull large hailstones along with them.
8. Round Icebergs
The phenomenon of perfectly round icebergs floating on water is a rare occurrence, typically seen in slow-moving waters and cold climates such as Northern Europe and North America.
There are two types of icebergs, depending on the conditions of their formation.
The first type forms under conditions of no rain, with temperatures below 0°C for several days in meandering rivers. The movement of forces causes the edges of the iceberg to crack and erode over time, resulting in perfect circular shapes.
The second type is even more visually striking. These are pan-shaped icebergs that form in the middle of rivers. Sometimes, a large round iceberg can contain water in its center, resembling a pond floating within the river.
9. Ice Eggs
Photo: Risto Mattila.
Round ice eggs covering the beaches of Hailuoto caught the attention of netizens late last year. According to CNN, this phenomenon occurs when nearshore seawater breaks up soft ice. Melting snow sticks together and accumulates in supercooled water, then ocean waves cause the ice to rotate, forming smooth balls. Ice expert Jouni Vainio from the Finnish Meteorological Institute noted that this phenomenon is not common but can happen once a year under suitable weather conditions.
10. Tube Clouds in Carpentaria Bay
Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
The only place where this rare phenomenon can be predicted and periodically observed is Carpentaria Bay in Australia. Tube clouds can extend up to 1,000 km long and reach heights of 1-2 km, typically only 100-200 m above the ground. This phenomenon usually occurs from late September to early November when high humidity in the air combines with strong sea breezes.
