Sun Showers or "Beam Me Up"

  Yep, there is such a thing as a sun shower but the name is a bit misleading.  A sun shower is when the sun stays visible during a rain shower.  It may be bright and sunny but have a drizzly rain coming down.  This happens often as a small cloud passes over but does not completely block over the entire sky.  It is a localized shower.  It can be raining on one side of the house while the sun is beaming brightly on the other.  It is misleading in the fact that a "rain" shower means that rain is falling to the ground but a "sun" shower means that rain is falling to the ground.  Same thing...not a good name.

  While on the pier yesterday evening, we actually had a true sun shower or at least it appeared to be such.  A large thunderhead blew up from the horizon blocking out the setting sun.  While that huge cloud lingered the sun beamed down between the clouds to shoot rays in what appeared to be a true shower.  We are accustomed to seeing storms look like this with actual rain falling but the sunbeams were something new.  It was gorgeous!  Those beams shot down right on top of my cousin's house.  It sort of reminded me of those nice rays that movie spaceships beamed folks up from Earth.  I better check on my cousin!

Now I am pondering what fine word should be applied to this weather phenomenon.  Since sun shower is already taken, a new name is needed.  "Beam me up, Scotty!" might work but it has been erroneously contributed to Captain Kirk!  (And that is a story for another day.)