Birmingham sky mysteriously turns pink in incredible images on night when Storm Goretti engulfs Britain

Residents living in the West Midlands were treated to the bright lights
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Skies above the West Midlands were illuminated pink in stunning scenes as Britain was battered by Storm Goretti.
Residents living in Birmingham were treated to a dazzling shade of pink, with the vista visible from across the wider county.
There was some speculation the lights were a form of aurora borealis caused by the storm.
However, the actual reason was much more grounded, actually coming from Birmingham City's St Andrew's football ground in Bordesley.
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The stadium uses LED lamps to help the grass on the pitch recover faster, particularly when wet weather makes it more vulnerable to damage.
Meteorologists said cloud cover and falling snow meant the sky could be more reflective, meaning the light from the LEDs reflected upwards.
Hednesford Town Football Club said they had a similar phenomenon earlier this week.
A spokesman said they were, "helping the grass grow and recover, keeping us ready to chase three points, not the aurora".

The West Midlands club saw the skies turn pink
|HEDNESFORD TOWN FC

Pink light from grow lights at Birmingham City Football Club was spotted across the city
|GETTY

Skies lit up across Birmingham
|GETTY
Grahame Madge, Met Office spokesman, said: "The blue wavelengths of light are more easily scattered by snow or water droplets allowing the longer wavelengths – such as red and orange – to get through.
"This can have the effect of turning colours more pink or orange."
Dozens of schools across the Midlands and Wales announced they would be closed on Friday where the amber weather warning was issued.
More than 250 schools were expected to remain closed in Scotland, including more than 150 in Aberdeenshire, dozens in the Highlands and Aberdeen, plus a number in Moray.
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Grow lights at Birmingham City Football Club illuminate the sky
|GETTY

Electricity pylons stand in snow, with Scotland in the grip of a deep freeze following Storm Goretti
|REUTERS
Birmingham Airport said at 7.15am that its runway had reopened on a "reduced basis" and teams were working to get passengers moving as efficiently as possible.
Winds of 99mph were recorded at St Mary’s Airport on the Isles of Scilly on Thursday, which is a new record for the site, the Met Office said.
Rail services across England, Wales and Scotland may be affected until the end of the day on Friday due to the weather, National Rail said.
The storm, named by French weather forecaster Meteo France, has been described as a “multi-hazard event” by the Met Office, with as much as 30cm of snow possible in parts of the UK.

Snowy conditions in Grasscroft, in Saddleworth
|PA
At least 69 flights scheduled to operate to or from Heathrow airport have been cancelled, likely disrupting more than 9,000 passengers.
The majority of the cancellations are short-haul flights by British Airways.
In a statement issued just after 6am, East Midlands Airport said its runway had reopened after being closed overnight due to heavy snow on the runway.
Passengers were warned delays may linger throughout the day.

Deserted platforms and the departure board at Old Hill station in Sandwell, as services were cut
|PA
The Met Office said on Friday morning that Storm Goretti "continues to cause problems" as a mixture of rain, sleet and snow batters some areas.
Meteorologist Alex Deakin said the storm will continue to clear throughout the day, but many still face a "wet, cold, miserable day."
Cornwall Council advised residents to avoid travelling on Friday morning, saying: “A large number of roads are still closed due to fallen trees, downed power lines and debris.
"Our teams are working around the clock to clear them and we ask that you give crews the space they need to carry out urgent repairs safely."









