We all know that Sunset is the most beautiful part of the evening in Ventura. The crisp, cool air coupled with the many open windows in your home or office creates a perfect environment for enjoying a glass of wine or a cocktail before dinner. For some people, it’s the green flash of lightning that catches their attention first. For others, it may be the odeur orange (the smell of orange blossoms). But for many others, particularly wine geeks and professionals, it’s probably The Green Flash at Sunset. The green flash refers to the sight of numerous green trees lining up in an isolated spot before a heavy downpour. It’s usually fairly brief but still nerve-wracking as you wait for the downpour to start. Sometimes these individual tree showers may last longer than 30 seconds, but they’re almost always gone by the time you see them. So what if it doesn’t happen often? What if we’re romanticizing it? Is The Green Flash At Sunset Real? Let’s Answer The Question
Is The Green Flash At Sunset Real?
The green flash refers to the sight of numerous green trees lining up in an isolated spot before sunset. The color of the trees is important, and you can see many different varieties of fruit trees lining up in the same place, including fig trees, orange trees, and Keane’s plum. The green flash is also indicative of a storm approaching; many times it’s a sign that a storm is coming in from the north.
Everything About Green Flash At Sunset?
- The green flash at sunset is real. Well, most of the time it is. The green flash occurs when the sun sets and the sky is still mostly dark, but a small patch of the sky has just turned green. This happens because the atmosphere is so transparent that you can see through it to a patch of sky that’s not quite in shadow yet. You see this as a sudden flash of green light as you’re looking at the sun going down. It’s usually very brief but dramatic and pretty cool to watch, especially if you’re not expecting it.
- It only happens in some places: The red-orange color of the sunset isn’t what causes these flashes, but rather light reflecting off clouds or water droplets high up in the atmosphere (the same way an oil slick reflects sunlight). Some places are more prone to this than others, notably coastal regions with many trees lining the shoreline and large bodies of water nearby (like lakes).
- It doesn’t happen every day: In fact, it usually only happens once or twice a year in most places on Earth over about 30 years old. For example, I live here in Ventura County (where we have some pretty spectacular sunsets) and I’ve never seen one here! But then again I haven’t been watching Sunset for 30 years either…
- There are several theories about why it happens: One theory suggests that there’s something about seeing your reflection in a landscape that makes us see flashes of green. Another theory suggests that the flash is caused by a light reflecting off of the water droplets high up in the atmosphere. I’m not sure if this is true, but it’s quite plausible.
- The green flash is a very rare event: It’s a very brief, dramatic, and unique spectacle that you probably won’t see again in your lifetime. So enjoy it while you can!
How To See The Green Flash At Sunset?
- In the United States, the best place to see the green flash is on the coast of California or Oregon. But even if you live inland, you can still see it! For example, many people have seen it in San Diego and Los Angeles.
- First of all, be sure that you’re not looking out over a body of water. The green flash will only appear when the sun has just set and is still visible above the horizon but below the horizon line (the line where land meets the sky). If there’s a body of water nearby or you’re looking at a lake or ocean from the shore, then it’s not going to happen. If this happens, just turn around and look out over land instead!
- Sunset happens around 5 pm in summer and 7 pm in winter so you’ll want to go out when that’s happening (depending on your location). But if you want it happening right away then be prepared for some waiting involved…you should be able to see one by 6 pm at most locations (and possibly even earlier than that if there are no clouds around!). As sunset gets later into summer (and later into winter), more often than not they won’t happen until much later in the evening. So plan accordingly!
When Is The Green Flash At Sunset?
- Sunset happens around 5 pm in summer and 7 pm in winter so you’ll want to go out when that’s happening (depending on your location). But if you want it happening right away then be prepared for some waiting involved…you should be able to see one by 6 pm at most locations (and possibly even earlier than that if there are no clouds around!). As sunset gets later into summer (and later into winter), more often than not they won’t happen until much later in the evening. So plan accordingly!
- It takes about 15 minutes for sunset to happen completely – so keep an eye on your watch as sunset approaches! Once sunset has happened completely, the green flash will happen within a minute or two.
- The green flash will disappear as soon as the sunlight disappears completely. So if you want to see it again then you’ll need to go back outside and watch in the direction of where it first appeared (which is usually directly behind you). If you’re not sure where to look, just look out over land instead! But if you’re in a place with a lot of trees that obscure your view, try looking in another direction…you might see it there instead!
- The next green flash is likely to happen around 7 pm in summer and 5 pm in winter so you’ll want to check back at that time (again depending on your location). But if you’d like to see it faster then you can check back later – but there will be less time before sunset and it might not happen until much later than that. So plan accordingly!
- The best place for seeing a green flash is on a beach or in a park with lots of trees around – it’s easier to see a green flash from there! And if you live near one of these locations, they’re probably worth checking out at least once just to see what it’s like!
Final Words
The green flash at sunset is one of nature’s most beautiful sights. Although it does occur occasionally, it’s more likely to happen in winter when the weather is cold and damp. The best time to see the green flash is between 6 – 9 pm. If it’s cloudy or rainy, you should drive to a nearby city where there is a sunset view of the raindrops from a nice park or the sea. The lucky ones may even be able to spot the green flash from space!
