Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Nothing beats the sunsets of late fall and winter, especially on the Oregon coast.



That was the case Friday evening, when a particularly beautiful sunset fell over Cape Meares Beach near Tillamook.

A cloud of mist had hung over the cape on the south end of the beach all afternoon, and when the sun finally sank to the horizon, the mist filled with golden light. Sea stacks in the surf stood out in silhouette, jet black against the colorful sky.

The dramatic colors of a sunset are the product of sunlight taking a much longer path through the atmosphere as it sinks beyond the horizon, scattering more blue and violet light, leaving the familiar reds, yellows and oranges. Other factors, like presence of clouds and lack of air pollution, can help make those colors even brighter.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration points out that in colder months the air tends to circulate faster and doesn't allow the formation of haze or smog, which in summer can scatter more of the light away, dimming the colors of a sunset. The cleaner, cooler air of fall and winter means more spectacular displays at dusk.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB