Nature Events That Look Like Scenes from Fantastic Films! 12 Natural Phenomena You Can Only See at Certain Times of the Year

1. Abraham Lake, Alberta, Canada / December — February

During the summer, Abraham Lake looks like other lakes on our planet. However, what you can see here in winter is utterly fascinating. Bacteria living at the bottom of the lake release large amounts of methane gas. This creates an image that resembles floating bubbles in the water, combined with the lake’s clarity. But it’s as dangerous as it is mesmerizing.

2. Yosemite Horsetail Fall, California, USA / Second Half of February

We all know about waterfalls, and most of us have seen one. But what if we told you there’s a waterfall that appears to flow with fire instead of water? At the end of February, the angle of the setting sun’s rays creates the illusion that fire, not water, is cascading from Horsetail Fall.

3. Starling Murmurations / March

Starlings gather in incredibly large flocks and create astonishing visuals. They move as if they are a single large organism, not thousands of individual birds, and rise together in unity. Experts believe starlings come together in these surprising shapes to exchange information and hypnotize predators with their mesmerizing movements.

4. Wisteria Bloom, Japan / Mid-April to Mid-May

You’ve probably heard of the Japanese Cherry Blossom festivals, but cherry blossoms are not the only flowers that have a special meaning for the Japanese. For a month in spring, you can enjoy walking through magical Wisteria Tunnels, filled with hundreds of plants whose colors range from red to purple, yellow to white. If you want to see a fairy tale with your own eyes, this is exactly what you’re looking for.

5. Synchronized Fireflies, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA / May — June

Synchronized fireflies can only be seen in a few places on our planet, making watching them a true adventure. During their mating displays, thousands of fireflies gather and perform a shimmering show, flashing on and off simultaneously every few seconds.

6. Goat Climbing, Morocco / June

Goats climbing trees looks a bit surreal, but there is a logical explanation for this strange natural phenomenon. The trees these goats climb are not random; they are argan trees whose fruits ripen in June. Hungry goats are drawn to these foods, and sometimes you can see a dozen goats hanging on a single tree.

7. Midnight Sun, Norway / June — August

The midnight sun is a fantastic sight you can see throughout summer anywhere south of the Antarctic Circle and north of the Arctic Circle, and Norway is one of the places where you can enjoy it. Due to the Earth’s axial tilt, the sun’s rays continue to illuminate Norway even at night, and for a few weeks in summer, the sun never sets.

8. Spotted Lake, Osoyoos, British Columbia / July — August

In the summer months, in hot weather, the colors and even the shape of this lake change. As the water evaporates, we can see colorful, circle-shaped salt and other mineral formations at the bottom of the lake. This can create a leopard-patterned appearance, or the lake may turn completely white.

9. Yuncheng Salt Lake, China / September — October

The waters of this Chinese lake can turn various colors from green to yellow, red to coral. This is entirely thanks to the algae in the lake. The lake always looks magnificent, but the best time to see it is autumn. In autumn, the colors are at their brightest.

10. Color Display in Cano Cristales River, Colombia / October — November

Another breathtaking image caused by the blooming of algae occurs in this river. Cano Cristales, located in Colombia, resembles a liquid rainbow that can show a wide range of colors from green to red, blue to black. The brightest colors can be seen in autumn.

11. Blooming Atacama Desert, Chile / September — November

“Sand, sand everywhere.” That’s what most of us imagine when we hear the word “desert.” But this is not true for all deserts, and Atacama is one of them. In Atacama, after heavy rains that happen once every 4 or 5 years, many flowers bloom. This last occurred in 2017.

12. Moving Sailing Stones, Death Valley, California, USA; December — February

In Death Valley, rocks sometimes move by themselves across this desolate area. But how does this happen? Since the 1900s, sailing stones have been studied, and scientists believe that the strange movements of these stones are the result of a perfect balance of water, ice, and wind occurring in winter. A thin layer of ice forms beneath the stones, and even a light breeze can push them forward.