Sky spectacle before Christmas Eve: Double rainbow over Palma

Sky spectacle before Christmas Eve: Double rainbow over Palma

A small, surprising burst of color on Tuesday morning

In the early morning of December 23, the sky over Palma put on a scene you don't see every day: a double rainbow arced across parts of the city, bringing short but intense delight to many neighborhoods. This small surprise came amid the city's festive atmosphere described in Palma in Its Christmas Dress: Lights, Sound and Little Winter Wonders.

The conditions were typically wintry: cool air, cloud layers and brief, light showers. Similar morning patterns were reported in Interludes of Rain and Sun: Palma on October 10. This very interplay of rain and sun made the effect possible. Rain moved in from the center of the island in the morning hours while in some places the low-lying sun broke through and hit the raindrops at the right angle (a situation much like in Rainy Day in Palma: Mild, Wet, and Surprisingly Beautiful). This produced not only a bright primary bow but also a fainter second bow above it with reversed color order.

On the streets around Passeig des Born and in neighborhoods like La Lonja and Santa Catalina, people stood on balconies with steaming cups of coffee. Cafés filled for a moment with chatter because someone had called out to "look outside." In Portixol, walkers stopped along the quay, fishermen seemed to pause their work and gaze at the sky. The clinking of spoons, the chime of Plaça Cort and the distant hum of a tram formed the urban backdrop for this quiet performance.

Photos and short videos quickly circulated through neighborhood groups and social networks. Not because it became a big news story, but because small surprises like this connect people: they show others what moves them in the moment. Similar colorful displays have been featured previously, for example A Sky Like a Painting: Mallorca's Evening in Colors. It's a harmless escape from the pre-Christmas rush — a few seconds of pause in which everyday life takes a step back.

From a scientific perspective, the same physics applies to a double rainbow as to a single one, with an additional internal reflection inside the water droplets. As a result, the outer bow is weaker and its colors are reversed. This physical detail simply makes the scene more beautiful to us: two concentric colored rings, as if the sky had set up a second stage.

Why is this good for Mallorca? Moments like these remind us that the island is more than beaches and tourist routes. They sit alongside seasonal highlights such as Christmas season in Palma: Over 300 events bring festive spirit to the city. A spontaneous rainbow sparks conversations between neighbors, brings passersby a smile and gives photographers — professional and amateur alike — a new subject. For local businesses it's not advertising, but it is a friendly reminder of the unpredictability of the weather and the beauty of everyday life.

If you're looking for the next rainbow: stand with your back to the sun, check in the early morning or late afternoon when the sun is low. And: the second bow isn't always vivid. It occurs more often than we notice, but only under especially favorable light conditions does it become clearly visible.

For Palma the morning was a small breather before Christmas Eve. Streets calmed briefly, conversations became lighter, and everyday hecticness receded. A harmless natural event that nevertheless left a lasting impression — and that is not a given on a December morning.

Quick tip: If you want to share your photos: the most attractive perspective is often not the highest but the one that connects part of the city with the rainbow — a familiar street, an old fountain, a fishing boat. That way the image becomes a small memento of this unusual morning on Mallorca.