Colorful Pileus Clouds Hover Over Florida Skies

By Jillian MacMath, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
August 01, 2012; 9:32 PM
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Colorful Pileus Clouds Hover Over Florida Skies

Storified by Accu Weather · Wed, Aug 01 2012 11:04:07

Photos of Pileus clouds flooded social media networks yesterday as the 'rainbow' phenomena swept across skies in parts of Florida.

The phenomenon is caused by air that rises up and over a thunderstorm, cools and condenses. Since thunderstorm clouds can rise very high in the atmosphere - as high as 40,000 feet -  ice crystals are often found within them.

The rainbow color appears when the cloud settles above a thunderstorm and sunlight is reflected through its crystals.
#sunset #yesterday #nofilter #rainbow #cloud #socool #pretty http://instagr.am/p/NyvdJKH3eb/alyssa mccollum
Portal To NirvanaQNetX
Rainbow Cloud!! http://pic.twitter.com/DD7I0r06✯Jes-i-ka✯
Yea looking at the sky on the back porch we spot a "rainbow cloud" only way to describe it. Pic isn't justifying it tho http://pic.twitter.com/azhP3vm6Mickey Symonds

More of the Pileus phenomena from other locations:

ซูมๆ รูปนี้ปรับ sharp อย่างเดียวค่ะ สวยมาก #pileus #cloud #sunset #sunray #sun #sky Koi
#clouds #sky #cumuluscongestus#pileus#irisationleon_aat
#awesome #nature #sky #clouds #pileus #iridescent Keith

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