The people of Anantapur were treated to an unusual sight in the sky one hour after noon on Wednesday when a large rainbow-like halo formed around the sun.
Initially, many people stayed inside due to the lockdown restrictions, only a few noticed it between around 1:10 p.m. and 1:40 p.m.
But when the social media platforms were full of people from Kurnool, Hyderabad and other places in Telangana and Karnataka posting pictures that captured the event and alerting others, many came out onto the terrace to see the ring go around the afternoon sun formed.
On May 24th, Bengaluru experienced a similar phenomenon.
Agrometeorologist K.Ashok Kumar of the Rekulakunta Agriculture Research Station said that round halos are created due to the thin cirrus clouds that are peeling off. In the atmosphere, these clouds are formed anywhere between 15,000 feet and over 20,000 feet. The halos are generally signs of rain for the next 24 hours.
Farmers asked to be vigilant
The AP State Disaster Management Authority has forecast moderate to heavy rainfall for Thursday in the districts of Anantapur, Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari. A publication by the Special Representative of the Civil Protection Agency K. Kanna Babu has urged farmers to take note of this warning and to be vigilant.