Weather experts? Is there a name for this type of weather phenomenon or sunlight?

[SirTarquin]

When the sky is grey - a deeper or darkish grey all over - but the sun shines really brightly so trees and stuff get a weird kind of clarity? The light is amazing and the sky looks fabulous - just looking at this out my window right now - I really love this when it happens and if it has a particular name I'd love to know it.

Anyone know what I am talking about?

Is there a name for this phenomenon or even the colour of the sky?

that's a no then?

Can you post a picture?

Like this

https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2K1G549/dark-grey-sky-above-trees-with-autumn-leaf-colour-2K1G549.jpg

It's not really a "weather phenomenon". It's just the sunshine on the trees contrasting with the dark background. It is lovely though.

The light has a very particular bright quality and the grey is quite dark. Its so beautiful, I'd love to know more about it and when it occurs.

It oddly doesn't seem to be related to storms or rain. The sky looks like it is going to rain heavily or there will be a storm - but it is normally quite flat looking not puffy textured cloud - grey but cloudless. The light is is ultra bright but you can't normall see the sun.

Definitely beautiful light effect. Maybe you should name it. Tarquinius light.

@KnickerlessParsons

The photo isn't quite right but it's very close to what I mean. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

It's a very specific set of things that occurs occassionally but not commonly - with this deep grey sky (single colour with no cloud texture variation) and then a very bright, clear light that sort of gives a sharper clarity to everything but especially trees, grass, plants etc.

I really want to know what causes this and why it's like that.

I think it's just April showers or rainbow weather. Not sure if there is a technical term. The dark grey is heavy rain cloud and if you are not directly under it, then you may not see the rain. Somewhere else in the sky will be the sun and it is the sun's rays reflecting in the rain that cause rainbows (or something like that, I am not an expert).

after @saveforthat asked if I could post a picture, I've been googling and actually can't find anything that shows exactly what I mean - I was working with dark grey sky and sunshine/bright sun variations - which shows that I'm not quite on point for what I'm looking for!

This is another similar thing but this isn't quite right either as the sky is more textured and the light/clarity on the right of the image isn't quite as surgical - but it's very on the way there. Very much in the spirit of what I'm asking about.

https://live.staticflickr.com/2829/32331936904_c9174790ff_b.jpg

From watching the weather on the news all these years I would describe this "overcast with occasional sunny spells"

I know what you mean, when the sun hits an object and the rest is grey its almost as though it becomes hyper-real and looks fake

I know what you mean and I love it! Have you not taken photos? Off to look through my 19456 photos…

This to me is very similar to the quality of light you get in the golden hour of sunset or dawn. The hour at either end of the day when the light has a luminescent gold quality and imbues everything it touches with a special richness. If this occurs (it would be shining low because of the time of day) underneath a sky hung with high dark clouds you would get that special light with the dark backdrop.

A Google of 'golden hour with stormy skies' gets a lot of those results, so maybe that's it? Have you noticed the time of day it occurs?

The closest I can get is ‘sunlight foreground under dark skies’ 😅 I don’t think there’s a specific term for it, unless someone in the thread goes on to prove me wrong!

Agree, it's the same as golden hour because the strong sunlight is hitting objects at a low angle when the sun sets or in this case because the cloud above is blocking it. It is spectacular when it happens.

I think it’s different from golden hour, which is very warm in tone as the name suggests. This is quite a cold toned clarity I think?

very pretty though. No idea what it’s called

Just went down a cloud type rabbit hole.

This grey cloud is stratus, a low lever cloud. When rays of light pierce through it it's called crepuscular rays, also the name for the rays at twilight.

When the rays bounce back and leave pastel colours on the underside of white clouds this is called irisation.

@Fromwetome YES!!! This is what I am talking about. Exactly this.

I know what you mean, when the sun hits an object and the rest is grey its almost as though it becomes hyper-real and looks fake

@WonderingWanda @SoCunningYouCanStickATailOnItAndCallItAFox (Baldrick to her friends)

No it's not the golden hour. That was an interesting google! Beautiful but not what I am talking about. When I posted it, I could see it and it was 2.28pm.
That golden hour is very warm, glowing light.

as @ShirleyPhallus says
This is much more clear, colder/blue/ bright white light - like someone has turned a security floodlight on in the sky and is filtering it through dark skys. The second picture I posted above on the right side of the photo in the sun is the sort of light I am talking about it -it's not quite right but close.

I can't believe it's not "a thing" or an identifiable thing because it is a really beautiful light quality. There must be loads of photos of this but I don't know what it's called or what I'm looking for.

@WonderingWanda i'm going to check our your search terms (that sounds a bit rude!)

I do know what you mean. I’ve noticed it particularly in spring, with new leaves on the trees, against a dark-pewter sky - but with the sun on them. Spectacular!

No idea but do know what you mean. Its almost as if a halo/aura had come in front of the object instead of mostly staying behind it. It is stunning.

I know what you mean too, it's stunning! I agree with a pp, we should name it after you 😀

I know what you mean, buy don't know what it's called. I love it though!