Why are Arizona sunsets so dramatic?
Only in Arizona: Dry conditions and upper-level clouds create ideal mix for iridescent pink, orange and purple hues
- Sunsets remain as synonymous with Arizona as saguaros, snowbirds and the Grand Canyon
- The dry Arizona air and high-level storm systems contribute to the colors
- Particulates play little role in the sunsets
Local commercial photographer Jane Zarzynski calls the 10 to 15 minutes after the sun goes down a “magical” time of day.
And who can disagree with her? Bright, daytime sunshine slowly gives way to fiery orange, pink, purple, green and every variation in between as the sun dips into the horizon somewhere beyond Lake Havasu City.
Sunsets remain as synonymous with Arizona as saguaros, snowbirds and the Grand Canyon. The Phoenix Suns colors include orange and purple for a reason.
“(Sunset) is my favorite time for shooting people because the quality of light is so beautiful when the sun is low, warm and directional,” Zarzynski says. “Just after sunset everything has a pinky purple tone and the light is soft and perfect for capturing people.”
Reasons for dramatic colors
But why are sunsets so dramatic in our neck of the woods?
There's a few reasons, meteorologist Paul Iniguez of the National Weather Service of Phoenix says.
“One of the (factors) that would go toward our sunsets is the dryness,” he says, citing that moisture diffuses light and makes the sky “milky” when there's moisture in the atmosphere, “like in Southern California,” he says. “It scatters the light.”
Plus, Arizona has high-level storm systems with clouds at 20,000 to 30,000 feet, he says, “and we experience bright orange and red iridescence looking through the atmosphere at shallower angles later in the day and at sunrise.”
Forget pollution as a cause
Pollution or particulates must play a role, right? We must be able to make something positive from the Valley's brown cloud.
Not really, Iniguez says.
“Particulate matter from human activities are lower to the ground,” and particles from weather events — even from possibly thousands of miles away — “are much higher in the atmosphere,” he says.
RELATED: Ever wonder about the beauty of Arizona sunsets?
Arizona also experiences some of the best sunsets, Zarzynski says, “because we have such an expansive and open sky.”
“With all of the gorgeous mountains in the Valley and nearby opportunities to get into nature, Phoenix really has the perfect sunsets,” she says.
Now, grab a loved one, or your dog. It's time to enjoy the picture-perfect sunset.
Contact “Only in Arizona” columnist Mark Nothaft at marknothaft.onlyinaz@gmail.com. Send him the weird and fun facts and places found #OnlyInArizona.
Here's why Arizona won't 'spring forward' for daylight saving time March 13