Britons across the nation were greeted by an extraordinary sight on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, as a thick, rosy-pink fog descended, painting the morning commute in surreal candyfloss hues.
The Science Behind the Spectacle
Weather experts were quick to explain the captivating display. Grahame Madge, a spokesperson for the Met Office, detailed that the unusual colour was a result of sunlight interacting with multiple layers of cloud and fog. "When the sunlight comes through lots of layers, it filters out the blue and scatters it, leaving the red to come through," he said. The effect is essentially a sunrise filtered through the atmosphere and the dense fog, creating that distinctive pinkish-purple tint.
This phenomenon requires very specific atmospheric conditions, making such widespread and vivid displays relatively rare. The last major occurrence captured headlines back in 2022, when London's Canary Wharf was similarly bathed in ethereal light.
A Nation Stunned on Social Media
From Hertfordshire to the heart of the capital, people took to social media to express their amazement at the otherworldly scene. One user exclaimed it was "soooo pink this morning in Hertfordshire," while another marvelled at the "sunrise pink fog." The conditions significantly reduced visibility, with drivers on winding country roads in London and the Home Counties reporting they could see only a few metres ahead.
The visual effect was so dramatic that one TikToker joked the fog made her residential street look like she was "up in the mountains." The spectacle was captured from all angles, including stunning footage from above the pink clouds in central London.
A Fleeting Display of Colour
The vivid colours were not destined to last. As the morning progressed and the sun rose higher, the pink and purple hues gradually faded. By late morning, the fog had largely lifted across the country, giving way to more typical, slightly wetter conditions in many areas, including London.
While the UK is no stranger to foggy winter mornings, this particular event served as a powerful reminder of the beautiful and unexpected spectacles nature can produce. The combination of perfect timing, specific cloud layers, and the angle of the sun collaborated to gift early risers a truly memorable start to their day.
