Rainbow clouds spotted in north-east Singapore

A "rainbow" cloud or iridescent cloud seen in Serangoon on Thursday (June 15). PHOTO: TAY CHEONG SOON
A "rainbow" cloud or iridescent cloud seen in Serangoon on Thursday (June 15). PHOTO: TAY CHEONG SOON
A "rainbow" cloud or iridescent cloud seen in Sengkang on Thursday (June 15). PHOTO: ERIC TEO
A "rainbow" cloud or iridescent cloud seen in Sengkang on Thursday (June 15). ST PHOTO: GREGORY PHUA
Another view of the rainbow cloud. PHOTO: JO SIEWSIEW LIM
Another view of the rainbow cloud. PHOTO: XAVIER TAN
Another view, taken along Thomson Road. PHOTO: AGNES LIM

SINGAPORE - Four months after sightings of "paddle-pop" clouds went viral online, similar rainbow-crested clouds were seen in the north-east on Thursday (June 15).

Straits Times reader Eric Teo sent in a photo of the colourful cloud from Sengkang's Ranggung LRT at 4.45pm on Thursday.

The 19-year-old student, who had never seen such a cloud before, said several of his friends had also photographed the pretty sight.

"There were some dark clouds around the particular rainbow cloud," he said. "Other than that, it was quite clear."

Mr Tay Cheong Soon, a 46-year-old who works in the service industry, sent ST pictures he took at Serangoon Avenue 4 around 4.45pm.

"Usually you see a rainbow only after the rain," he said. "This rainbow is not across the sky, it's formed within the clouds."

He said it was his first time seeing such a cloud, although he had heard of the phenomenon that occurred in February.

In February this year, The Straits Times reported about a similar-looking cloud that dazzled netizens.

Although some netizens said it could be a rare fire rainbow, it was later determined that it was an iridescent cloud, which occurs when light passes through tiny ice crystals or water droplets in a cloud and is diffracted.

International media picked up on the news then, including BBC, the Telegraph and the Independent.

According to the National Geographic, iridescent clouds often appear in the late afternoon on very hot and humid days.

Many rainbow clouds form on top of cumulus clouds. The weather forecast for the first half of June has been reported to be dry and hot, with temperatures reaching up to 35 deg C.

Did you see the rainbow clouds? Email your photos to us at stshare@sph.com.sg or send us a message on Facebook.

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