What caused the blood-red sky in China's Zhoushan? Phenomenon explored as netizens are left intrigued

Over the weekend, in Zhoushan, China, residents witnessed a mysterious blood-red sky, causing them to panic. Videos show a crimson sky over the port city and thick layers of fog. According to reports, the sky was the most red near the port areas.

The phenomenon's videos and photos of the red sky went viral, garnering over 150 million views on the Chinese social media platforms Sina and Weibo. Many users interpreted the occurrence as a bad omen for the Chinese government's handling of the Covid-19 in the country.

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Potential causes for China's blood-red sky

Meteorological specialists in Zhoushan were scrambling to figure out what was producing the frightening-looking red sky. Experts found that it was caused by light reflected from nearby vessels in low clouds.

The weather in the eastern port city was ideal for a refraction event, according to meteorological experts, since the sky was gloomy with precipitation, resulting in an odd reddening of the sky, causing a brief panic.

They also claimed that more water is formed in the atmosphere when meteorological circumstances are favorable. This produces aerosols, which reflect and scatter the lofts of fishing boats, resulting in the red sky being visible to the general public.

They went on to say that geomagnetic and solar activity could not have been the cause of the Zhoushan sky turning red.

It states that solar and geomagnetic activity in the port city, which could cause a change in sky color, was quiet on Saturday, with no significant anomalies observed, according to data.

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Netizens react to the blood-red sky blanketing China's Zhoushan city

On Monday evening, residents of China's port city of Zhoushan were given a shocking awakening when the sky turned to blood crimson.

Netizens who captured the phenomenon and published it on social media were alarmed by the crimson sky. According to other sources, it also sparked fears of catastrophic conflagration.

The phenomenon's nature also inspired Twitter users to propose their explanations. Some referred to it as an "apocalyptic" omen, while others claimed it was an optical illusion generated by Marvel's Scarlet Witch.

The hypotheses were debunked when authorities indicated that the sky seemed red due to refractions and scattering of light from those in the port.

A local fishing company confirmed the light belonged to one of their boats, and the refraction caused the dense cover of fog to turn red, according to state-owned broadcaster CCTV.