A breathtaking sight greeted Monday drivers in the Lower Mainland in B.C. as patches of dense fog blanketed the region, resulting from a marine layer that nestled up along the coast.
The fog turned the skyline into a scene out of Stranger Things, setting the stage for an extraordinary, optical phenomenon.
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A highrise in Burnaby, B.C., became the canvas of this optical phenomenon as it appeared to glow amidst the fog, with radiant beams of light cascading outward––a scene that went viral on social media.
What caused this stunning display?
While the display might resemble a “glory”––a halo-like optical phenomenon caused by sunlight interacting with water droplets––this scene on Jan. 6 was more nuanced.
(Glenda Sewards/Submitted to The Weather Network)
Glories typically consist of concentric-coloured rings that form around the shadow of the observer, but this phenomenon lacked those telltale rings. Instead, it combined the effects of fog droplets with the reflective surfaces of the highrise, creating a unique pattern of radiating light.
The building amplified and scattered the sunlight in a way that blurred the line between nature and architecture, resulting in something not often seen, and difficult to define with traditional, optical science.
(Malcolm Fletcher/Submitted to The Weather Network)
It might be best described as a “fog halo enhanced by reflection and scattering”––a hybrid of atmospheric and structural influences.
As photos of the glowing highrise spread online, residents shared their creative takes on the scene. Comments ranged from, “it looks like feathers or multiple angel wings,” to “Did we just find a portal to another dimension?” Others chimed in with humour, saying, “someone call the Ghostbusters!”
A perfect recipe for fog
The fog was the result of a temperature inversion, a weather setup where a layer of warm air traps cooler air near the surface.
Atmospheric soundings from the morning confirmed these conditions, showing a stable environment with moisture locked close to the ground. This created the ideal conditions for fog formation and the following optical display.
Monday’s combination of dense fog patches, paired with bright sunshine, offered a rare and magical moment in an otherwise routine commute across Metro Vancouver.
Whether you saw it as a natural wonder or a portal to another realm, it was a reminder of the beauty that can emerge when weather, light and architecture intersect.
Thumbnail courtesy of Carole Bussières, taken in Burnaby, B.C.