Clouds in the sky are mostly white with a hint of gray, but sometimes there are clouds in various colors such as black, pink, purple, yellow, and red. The colors of the clouds are determined by their reflection of sunlight; there is also a close relationship between the time of formation, distribution, size, and volume of the clouds.
Why are clouds in the sky different colors?
The thickness of clouds can vary significantly, with thick clouds reaching heights of 7-8 kilometers, while thin clouds may only be a few dozen meters thick.
During overcast conditions, the distribution of clouds is extensive, nearly covering the entire sky, making it difficult for sunlight to penetrate, resulting in clouds appearing dark gray.
On sunny or partly cloudy days, there are fewer clouds in the sky, and they are illuminated by the sun, which is why most of these clouds appear white.
In summer, before the arrival of rain showers, thunderstorm clouds form over a large area, and these clouds are often black, as they are very thick, preventing sunlight from penetrating.
The reason clouds at dawn and dusk appear red is that when the sun is about to rise or set, its rays strike at an angle, passing through a thick layer of the atmosphere. Only red or orange light has strong enough wavelengths to illuminate the clouds, giving them a beautiful reddish-orange hue.
The components that make up clouds can sometimes be water droplets, sometimes ice particles, or a combination of both. Therefore, when sunlight and moonlight shine through them, they can create stunning halos or rainbows.
