THERE is a colourful upside to the freezing temperatures sweeping across parts of North America this week. These light pillars 鈥� captured here in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada 鈥� are more usual in polar regions, but have been seen as far south as Ohio in recent weeks.
Light pillars are an optical illusion that results from very cold air causing flat ice crystals, normally found only in high clouds, to occur much closer to the ground. Illumination from street lamps reflects off the crystals and creates the impression of an ascending rod of light.
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The polar air plunging unusually far south also brought reports of frozen sharks washed up on the US East Coast and frostbite warnings from doctors in Montreal, Canada. Meanwhile, Omaha, Nebraska, saw its lowest temperature for more than 130 years when the mercury fell to -29掳C. Then came a weather bomb 鈥� a rapidly deepening cyclonic storm 鈥� and with it snow as far south as Florida and damaging blizzards further north. Yet more brutal cold was expected to follow.
What a winter. At least the light show is some consolation.
Photographer
Sophie Melanson@CodiacSM
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淚cy lights鈥�
