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General Weather/Earth Sciences Topics => Weather Photography => Topic started by: DaleReid on November 09, 2018, 10:49:42 PM
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I've seen a few of the sun dogs or sun pillars at sunrise, but in 40+ years only a few. Of course being up at that time is primary, which I am, and no clouds (remember this is Wisconsin in the winter and grey clouds are the norm.
I also have only seen these when it has been exceptionally cold on the ground. Sun dogs during the day seem more common with high stratus clouds being -40 or worse all the time.
I hope to see more in the future, but does the science match my observation, which is to see sun pillars like this -20 to -30 in the morning makes it much more likely to see them?
Dale [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
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Sounds like you have already made your mind up that so called global warming is real?
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Most sun dogs are caused by ice in the high atmosphere so they are unlikely to be affected I would have thought. I recommend the excellent site Atmospheric Optics (https://www.atoptics.co.uk/halosim.htm).
Nice capture, I have seen them quite often, but never that clearly I don't think.
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Lots of Sun Dogs in Nebraska. Here is tweet from Omaha NWS last winter. If anything we've had more than our share of arctic cold outbreaks negative -26 to negative -37 just what I've experienced last 4 winters.
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Here's a shot taken 5 Feb 2014 that I've added to my Winter Banners:
(https://gwwilkins.org/Banners/Winter/Day/SunDogs5_HDR4.jpg)
As Randy points out, they're quite common in Nebraska.
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I wonder with the more 'wide open spaces' that seeing them is easier but obviously scenic vistas wouldn't make them happen more often.
I know I've seen sun dogs even in the summer. I've seen sun pillars when the particulate matter in the air is high (fires, and dust) in the summer.
I've only seen these when it is really cold at the surface, so maybe it has to do with the lower atmosphere having ice at the right temperatures as the sun rises through the optical path to the viewer's eyes?
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Here is Southern Arizona we get to see them quite frequently and I have just kinda got used to them...
I know how can something that beautiful get to no big deal....
Randall