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PHOTOS: Rainbow clouds appear over Virginia

Check out our collection of rainbow clouds, which are actually called cloud iridescence or circumhorizontal arcs, spotted in the skies in Central Virginia.

“Essentially it’s sunlight coming through these high-level clouds, these cirrostratus clouds which are made of ice crystals,” WTVR CBS 6 meteorologist Mike Stone explained. “The sunlight gets diffracted, and when it does that, it actually looks like a little rainbow in the sky.”

Stone said circumhorizontal arcs occur most often in the late spring and summer as the sun angle gets higher.

Have you seen a rainbow cloud? Click here to email us your photos or videos or you can click here to share them on the WTVR CBS 6 Facebook page.

rcloud1.jpeg A rainbow cloud appeared in the sky on Mother's Day 2021. This photo was taken at Tuckahoe Creek near the Henrico-Goochland line.Photo by: WTVR via Scott Wise Tuckahoe Creek A rainbow cloud appeared in the sky on Mother's Day 2021. This photo was taken at Tuckahoe Creek near the Henrico-Goochland line.Photo by: WTVR via Scott Wise cloud4.jpeg A rainbow cloud appeared in the sky on Mother's Day 2021. This photo was taken at Tuckahoe Creek near the Henrico-Goochland line.Photo by: WTVR via Scott Wise rcloud5.jpeg A rainbow cloud appeared in the sky on Mother's Day 2021. This photo was taken at Tuckahoe Creek near the Henrico-Goochland line.Photo by: WTVR via Scott Wise rcloud3.jpeg A rainbow cloud appeared in the sky on Mother's Day 2021. This photo was taken at Tuckahoe Creek near the Henrico-Goochland line.Photo by: WTVR via Scott Wise Photos: ‘Awesome rainbow clouds’ appear in the sky over Virginia Toni Zimmermann spotted rainbow colors in the sky while driving along Route 360 in Amelia County on May, 2015.Photo by: Toni Zimmermann Photos: ‘Awesome rainbow clouds’ appear in the sky over Virginia Toni Zimmermann spotted rainbow colors in the sky while driving along Route 360 in Amelia County on May, 2015.Photo by: Toni Zimmermann Photos: ‘Awesome rainbow clouds’ appear in the sky over Virginia Toni Zimmermann spotted rainbow colors in the sky while driving along Route 360 in Amelia County on May, 2015. Photo by: Toni Zimmermann

PHOTOS: Rainbow clouds appear over Virginia

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  • Photos: ‘Awesome rainbow clouds’ appear in the sky over Virginia
  • Photos: ‘Awesome rainbow clouds’ appear in the sky over Virginia
  • Photos: ‘Awesome rainbow clouds’ appear in the sky over Virginia

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A rainbow cloud appeared in the sky on Mother's Day 2021. This photo was taken at Tuckahoe Creek near the Henrico-Goochland line.WTVR via Scott Wise
A rainbow cloud appeared in the sky on Mother's Day 2021. This photo was taken at Tuckahoe Creek near the Henrico-Goochland line.WTVR via Scott Wise
A rainbow cloud appeared in the sky on Mother's Day 2021. This photo was taken at Tuckahoe Creek near the Henrico-Goochland line.WTVR via Scott Wise
A rainbow cloud appeared in the sky on Mother's Day 2021. This photo was taken at Tuckahoe Creek near the Henrico-Goochland line.WTVR via Scott Wise
A rainbow cloud appeared in the sky on Mother's Day 2021. This photo was taken at Tuckahoe Creek near the Henrico-Goochland line.WTVR via Scott Wise
Toni Zimmermann spotted rainbow colors in the sky while driving along Route 360 in Amelia County on May, 2015.Toni Zimmermann
Toni Zimmermann spotted rainbow colors in the sky while driving along Route 360 in Amelia County on May, 2015.Toni Zimmermann
Toni Zimmermann spotted rainbow colors in the sky while driving along Route 360 in Amelia County on May, 2015. Toni Zimmermann
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