Image: A plane flies past the Shard in central London, as the sky takes on an unusual orange colour

World

Ophelia Turns London Sky Eerie Yellow-Orange

The London sky turned an unusual color Monday as Storm Ophelia brought dust from the Sahara and smoke from southern Europe's wildfires.

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Image: People walk through Canary Wharf while the sky overhead turns red as dust from the Sahara carried by storm Ophelia filters sunlight over London

People walk through Canary Wharf as the sky over London turns yellow-orange on Oct. 16, 2017.

"As Ophelia has come up from the Azores, the storm has picked up Saharan dust from North Africa and picked up dust from wildfires in Spain and Portugal," a spokeswoman for Britain's Met Office said.

"This yellowish hue is from the dust that is high up in the atmosphere and the blue element of the sunlight is scattered by the dust but the red element gets through so the sun appears redder and you get this sort of yellowish tinge," she said.

— Tom Jacobs / Reuters
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Image: A plane flies past the Shard in central London, as the sky takes on an unusual orange colour

A plane flies past the Shard.

— Dominic Lipinski / PA via AP
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Image: Girls throw leaves opposite the Houses of Parliament during a reddish sky caused by remnants of Hurricane Ophelia

Girls play with leaves with the Houses of Parliament in the background.

— Carl Court / Getty Images
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Image: The sky turns dark during mid-afternoon in the financial district of Canary Wharf

A woman takes a photo of the mid-afternoon sky in the financial district of Canary Wharf.

— Yann Tessier / Reuters
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Image: The sky over the London Eye is bathed in a dull orange sky in London

The London Eye is bathed in a grey-orange sky.

— Frank Augstein / AP
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Image: Hyde Park is bathed in a dull sepia light from the sky in London

Children play in Hyde Park.

— Matt Dunham / AP
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Image: Pedestrians cross the Millennium Footbridge with the sky darkened over London

Pedestrians cross the Millennium Footbridge with the sky darkened over London.

— Chris J Ratcliffe / AFP - Getty Images
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Image: Hyde Park is bathed in a dull sepia light from the sky in London

A man sits on a bench in Hyde Park.

— Matt Dunham / AP
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