ATLANTA -- If you were outside around lunchtime and you looked up at the sun, you may have seen a rather unusual sight -- a ring of color around the sun.
This ring around the sun is called a "circular halo" or "corona", and it's caused by atmospheric conditions.
With a storm system looming to our west, high level moisture is streaming across the state. This moisture in the upper levels of the atmosphere is comprised of tiny ice crystals and small water vapor particles that cause the sun's light rays to reflect and refract, splitting the color spectrum. The end result is a halo feature seen around the sun, and it can sometimes take on different colors.
This optical phenomenon is certainly interesting to observe and, meteorologically speaking, it is a harbinger of approaching wet weather.