Why Was the Sky Green in Sioux Falls?

Just prior to a large storm system rolling into Sioux Falls on July 5, 2022, the sky turned a creepy, ominous green. It was a truly weird experience. Old folktales say that a green sky is a warning for a tornado and/or large hail. But, that's not necessarily true. 

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MORE: 2 Derechos Hit South Dakota in 2022. What Exactly Is A Derecho?

The green sky we saw in Sioux Falls Tuesday night was caused by light from the sun being refracted by the hail (AKA ice) up in the storm clouds.

"[S]unlight behind the thunderstorm is attenuated and scattered by the rain and/or hail shaft to yield a bluish hue. If this thunderstorm occurs around sunrise or sunset, when the sun takes on a more red/orange/yellow look thanks to a longer trip of the sun's rays through the atmosphere, that thunderstorm could instead look more green." - Weather.com

Thanks to these folks, we can see what it was like Tuesday evening. They took some pics and we thought we'd share...because some things are simply unbelievable. Thanks for sharing!







Cleanup crews are continuing to remove trees fallen from high winds and power outages.

MORE: Sioux Falls Storm Damage Prompts Debris Drop-Off Sites To Open

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LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state

Stacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.

Keep reading to find out individual state records in alphabetical order.

 

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