Something strange and beautiful happened on August 21, Casper, and I almost missed it.

A massive "rainbow scarf cloud" encircled the city of Haikou, Hainan Province in China.

Apparently there's a rational explanation for the rare phenomenon. Experts call it a pileus cloud, which is formed in the wake of a storm when a cloud sits atop the updraft, and the sun's rays bounce off the billions of teeny ice crystals within said-cloud producing a vivid rainbow.

Pileus clouds are exceptionally rare and short lived, but have been spotted above mountains, ash clouds, pyrocumulus clouds (in the wake of a volcano eruption), and mushroom clouds.

Hot Air Balloon Ride over Casper

Check Out This Gorgeous (And Terrifying) Lightning Storm in Casper

Casper is in the midst of a lightning storm that has to be seen to be believed. 

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