On July 5, 2022, the sky above Sioux Falls turned into an apocalyptic-like green color.

 

The eerie phenomenon happened last Tuesday (July 5, 2022) when residents from South Dakota felt like they were in an episode of Stranger Things when the sky above them turned into a glowing, almost apocalyptic-like green color.

But worry not; the end is not near.

As some believed, it was not a tornado but a “derecho,” according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Often referred to as straight-line windstorms, “derecho” storms are weather phenomena that last for a long time.

In addition to being associated with a group of strong thunderstorms known as mesoscale convection systems, it can also rival hurricanes and tornadoes in intensity. The upper Midwest was hit by this particular storm with winds of up to 99 miles per hour, leaving thousands without power.

Although meteorologists acknowledge that it is relatively common to see these green skies, especially on the plains, the skies associated with the severe storms that hit Sioux Falls during the afternoon of July 5 appeared even greener than normal.

This is according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Isaac Longley, who explained that “this, of course, caught the attention of many who had never seen such a green sky.”

“In this particular case, the green skies lasted for about 10 to 20 minutes as the storms approached the city of Sioux Falls,” he added.

Storms brought cloudy green skies to Sioux Falls between 3:00 and 3:30 pm CST. In several affected areas, electricity was still out until Wednesday night, when the storm subsided around 5:30 pm.

In most cases, these green skies are caused by raindrops or hail scattering or reflecting light, which has been suggested as one explanation.

The setting sun casts yellow and red shadows on daytime blue skies during the afternoon and early evening, which fuels thunderstorms.

Raindrops of a certain diameter scatter everything except cerulean light, as water is exceptionally good at retaining blue colors. According to meteorologists, if a storm hits at the perfect time of day and has enough liquid energy behind it, the competing yellow and blue light will combine to form green.

Several residents, though, compared the scene to the Upside Down from Stranger Things or the Emerald City in the Oz books after Tuesday’s storm.

After a terrifying twister, Dorothy finds herself in the green-hued Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz. However, the sky often turns green before a tornado in real life.

Floods in the Midwest were caused by the derecho, which extended from South Dakota to Illinois.

Generally, a derecho is recognized when there are more than 240 miles of wind damage in a single swath, combined with gusts exceeding 93 km/h (58 mph) in most of the area.

Among the greatest rainfall totals were those in Indiana, including six inches in Fort Wayne and nearly eight inches in Huntertown. In Timber Lake, South Dakota, residents reported grapefruit-sized hail.