Does rain make better sunsets?

Is a sunset after rain usually better?

It can be, but only under the right conditions. People remember the vivid ones, which come when a storm clears out and leaves broken cloud with an open horizon behind it. The ones that feel flat are often forgotten. So the honest answer is that rain raises the odds of drama and also the odds of a dud.

A clearing storm leaves a sky with texture, which is what a sunset needs. A cloudless sky gives only a smooth gradient, as we explain in what makes a good sunset.

Why can the color be better?

Three reasons. Rain washes particles out of the air, so visibility improves and the light travels farther. Passing fronts break up cloud decks into patches, which gives the low sun something to light. And a storm leaving to the east often takes its thick cloud with it, opening the western horizon. When those line up, the sun shines under the back edge of the clouds and lights them from below.

Why can it be dull?

Because humidity and haze work against color. Lots of moisture in the air dulls the sunset, and low cloud on the western horizon blocks the sun before it can light anything. If rain is still falling toward the west, you are looking at the storm's thick cloud and not at its back edge. A gray ceiling that never breaks also kills the show.

The result is an evening that looks like a bright smudge and then a dark one.

What is the rainbow connection?

When the sun is low in the west and rain is falling in the east, a rainbow can appear opposite the sun. At sunset the rainbow is at its tallest, because the center of its circle sits at the horizon, so you see a full arc. It lasts only while the sun still shines on the rain. If you see rain behind you and gold light in front, turn around.

What does Afterhue do with rain?

Rain clearing is one of the four things in the Glow Score. Rain that stops before sunset adds a chance of strong color, and the reasons below the score can show Rain clearing as a chip. Humid air counts against the score, and Hazy air or Thick overcast can appear as chips too. The app reads the forecast for the hour of sunset at your place and at a second point about 150 km toward the sun.

How should I read the sky during a clearing storm?

Watch the west, not the sky overhead. You want to see a thin line of light below the cloud base, a lighter horizon, or breaks where blue appears. If the bank in the west looks dark all the way to the ground, the sun will set behind it.

1. Go out 30 to 45 minutes before sunset and look west.
2. Check whether the lowest edge of the cloud is lifting or has a bright rim.
3. Look for patches of blue and any thin high cloud above them.
4. Move to a spot where you can see the horizon, such as a roof or a road along a ridge.
5. Stay after the sun is gone, since clearing evenings can peak late.

What about snow, fog or drizzle?

Snow falling on the western horizon behaves like rain: it blocks the sun. After a snowfall ends, the air can be exceptionally clear, and low sun on snow gives bright pinks and blues on the ground as well as in the sky. Fog tends to hide the sunset altogether, though a fog bank that glows orange at its top can be beautiful. Light drizzle under a thin cloud deck can leave a soft, pale glow without strong color.

How far ahead can I tell?

Not far. Clearing storms depend on timing, and the rain can stop an hour earlier or later than predicted. A forecast a few days out can show the front, but the exact moment of clearing is a short-range question. That is why Afterhue shows later days in the outlook as a range with a confidence level, and why the Tonight screen tells you when the band changes during the day. Check again in the afternoon, then look at the real sky.

Is it worth going out in the rain for a sunset?

Sometimes, if it is easy to do. A coat and an umbrella cost little, and clearing evenings can be the best of the year. Do not go anywhere unsafe, and avoid lightning. The decision gets easier when the score and the sky both look good. A chip such as Rain clearing next to a score of 60 or more is a decent sign, although the sky always has the last word.

Is petrichor or the smell of rain part of it?

Not part of the color, but part of the experience. The smell, the quiet and the dripping leaves go with a clearing storm, and they are a reason to go outside. A reminder helps you do it: the free golden-hour reminder can fire 30 or 15 minutes before golden hour, and Pro Glow alerts can warn you earlier when the score looks promising.

What if I miss it?

Rate it anyway. Afterhue asks How was it? after sunset, and each rating teaches the app how your sky behaves after rain. After three ratings in an area, the score shifts by the average miss, up to 15 points either way. Over a season you build a record of clearing evenings in your own place, which a forecast cannot give you.