WATCH: Ras Al Khaimah struck by purple lightning
RAK residents were treated to a dazzling display in the sky…
Spectacular footage has emerged of a “purple storm” in Ras Al Khaimah this weekend.
The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) had forecast that the UAE would experience a burst of unstable weather, with a high chance of thunder and heavy rain in some areas.
On Saturday night, that storm swept through the northern emirates – and judging by the images and videos posted to social media, it was quite a show.
Weather website storm.ae captured the incredible phenomenon:
And check out these amazing photos from a local photographer and storm chaser:
Why does the lightning appear purple? Well, lightning actually comes in a variety of colours, depending on atmospheric and environmental conditions.
According to netweather.tv, purple-tinted lightning is the most commonly observed colour, and is usually caused by high levels of precipitation.
Saturday night’s storm in Ras Al Khaimah also produced a large amount of hail, much to the delight of residents.
Look at the size of those hailstones!
Here are some more of our favourite pics:
The unstable weather is expected to continue on Sunday, with more heavy rain and lightning in some areas.
Main image credit: @m_3sh8ae/Instagram
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