Tornadoes, blizzards and hurricanes are extreme, but they are not all that unusual. Weather changes that you might not ever see in your lifetime are the only types good enough to make it on the list of the top five most unusual weather phenomena found on planet Earth. If you happen to run into any of these weird weather patterns, be sure to use the best weather app for iPad from WeatherCaster to take a picture you can share with friends and family!
Raining Fish and Frogs
This unusual weather phenomenon is not quite the same as raining cats and dogs. It’s not a figure of speech, but it’s not quite literal, either. In regions around the world, people have occasionally reported seeing a small aquatic animal – such as fish and frogs – fall from the sky, sometimes miles away from water. This occurs when waterspouts suck up water and aquatic life into the clouds high above. It isn’t until the winds die down that the squirming passengers are dropped onto unsuspecting people below.
Colored Rain
If you saw red rain falling from the sky, what would you think? This unusual weather phenomenon is quite easy to explain with a little climate science. Reddish-colored dust is picked up by strong winds where it mixes with rain clouds high in the atmosphere. Then, when the rain comes pouring down, it has a reddish hue. Other colors have been spotted as well: swept up pollen can cause yellow rain, light-colored dust can form milky rain, and coal dust can create menacing black rain.
Blue Moon
The phrase “once in a blue moon” refers to the infrequent occurrence of two full moons in a single calendar month. However, there are times when the moon can actually appear blue. Ash from forest fires and volcanoes can shoot high into the atmosphere, mix with water droplets, and scatter the moon’s light from thousands of miles above the Earth. This causes the moon to adopt a temporary bluish hue.
Fire Devil
While not as powerful as a tornado, fire devils can look terrifying. They consist of whirlwinds that form over areas of intense heat. As the hot air rises, wind causes it to spin, pulling up wisps of fire that spin feverishly above the inferno below.
Ice Bombs
Normally, hail is softball-sized or smaller. While it’s no laughing matter to have a softball-sized hailstone plummeting toward your home or car, consider the devastation that can be caused by ice bombs. This unusual weather phenomenon describes huge, 80-pound hailstones that smash into hundreds of smaller pieces when they hit the ground – hopefully all they hit is the ground.
Now you know more about some unusual weather phenomena that can occur. Be sure to use WeatherCaster’s best weather app for iPad for a simple, beautiful way to keep tabs on the weather and take pictures of the strange cloud formations and other weather changes you happen to spot.