A pale, often nearly colorless arc that forms in fog or mist under the same geometry as a rainbow, but appears washed out because fog droplets are far smaller than raindrops, causing the refracted light to blur together rather than separate cleanly into distinct colors. Sometimes called a white rainbow, it is most often seen at sea or in mountain fog where sunlight breaks through a thin, low-lying cloud layer.
Facts
Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceA rainbow with a white band that appears in fog, fringed with red on the outside and blue on the inside 1 Sources
1. Glossary, NOAA National Weather Service
Glossary entry for fogbowQuote, Glossary entry for fogbow
A rainbow that has a white band that appears in fog, and is fringed with red on the outside and blue on the inside.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.