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Rare Pink Fog Tints UK Morning Skies as Met Office Issues Warning

Meteorologists say the rosy hue comes from low sun filtered by fog droplets, presenting no risk beyond ordinary fog.

Overview

  • London and surrounding regions, including Oxfordshire, the East Midlands and Cambridgeshire, reported pink-tinged fog at sunrise on December 17.
  • The Met Office issued a yellow fog warning across parts of central and northern England until 10am, cautioning of very poor visibility and potential travel disruption.
  • Officials advised drivers to allow extra time and use fog lights, with visibility in places dropping below 100 metres and some flights flagged as at risk of delays or cancellations.
  • The Met Office explained that sunlight passing through layers of moisture scatters shorter wavelengths, leaving red light to give the mist a pink hue.
  • Researchers described the display as rare because it requires fog at sunrise with just the right droplet size and thickness, as thousands shared images and videos online.