Australian skies turned red due to cyclone and soil drought

Almost surreal images are coming out from Australia showing bright red and orange skies. This is the result of a meteorological phenomenon caused by the passage of a powerful cyclone sweeping along the west coast.

Key takeaways

Quick scan — what you need to know:

• Almost surreal images are coming out from Australia showing bright red and orange skies.
• This is the result of a meteorological phenomenon caused by the passage of a powerful cyclone sweeping along the west coast.
• It is rare, but it’s known to happen during major sandstorms or dust storms.
• This red Australian sky is also one of the effects of soil drought, something that could occur more often because of climate change.

Background

What led here, in plain terms:

• Almost surreal images are coming out from Australia showing bright red and orange skies.
• This is the result of a meteorological phenomenon caused by the passage of a powerful cyclone sweeping along the west coast.
• It is rare, but it’s known to happen during major sandstorms or dust storms.
• This red Australian sky is also one of the effects of soil drought, something that could occur more often because of climate change.

Why it matters

Why readers and decision-makers should care:

• Almost surreal images are coming out from Australia showing bright red and orange skies.
• This is the result of a meteorological phenomenon caused by the passage of a powerful cyclone sweeping along the west coast.
• It is rare, but it’s known to happen during major sandstorms or dust storms.