The White Rainbow
Ke Ānuenue Keʻokeʻo
 

The features of the white rainbow

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There is not a definition for the white rainbow in the dictionaries, however, here are itʻs traits: 

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Primary trait:             A rainbow with one arch or more

Secondary triat:        A rainbow with white color

A white rainbow with super numerary bows (na David Pillow | Dreamstime.com)

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Sometimes a double white rainbow will appear, and super numerary bows are also seen at times. The super numerary bands can be seen in the photo above.   

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A white rainbow (na Noel Powell | Dreamstime.com)

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The strata that the white rainbow appears

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The white rainbow appears in the same strata as the full arching rainbow. Namely, the lewa lani, the lewa nuʻu, and part of the lewa lani lewa. 

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The times that the white rainbow appears

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Some sources indicate that the white rainbow ofter appears above Maunakea.

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Manaʻo ʻia e kekahi kumu, ʻike pinepine ʻia ke ānuenue keʻokeʻo ma luna o Maunakea.[1] In the scientific view, the color that the observer sees is dependent on the diameter of the water drops, 1mm or more for a bright rainbow. If the diameter shrinks the red color is dimmed. In a fine mist the various colors disappear with the exception of the violet, and if the water drop diameter is 0.05 mm or less, the colors overlap and the result is a white rainbow.[2]

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The signs/omens of the white rainbow

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No Hawaiian language newspaper articles or stories were found containing a reference to a white rainbow. However, there is an account of an eye witness to a white rainbow. 

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The contentment of the gods as a result of a sacrifice or prayer:

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A white rainbow appeared at the time of a ceremony at Puʻukoholā heiau on Hawaiʻi island. The white rainbow appeared above the heiau.[3]

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[1] Kuʻulei Kanahele, ua nīnauele ʻia e Hoaloha Westcott. 2021. (Pepeluali 2).

[2] n.d. Effect of drop size on primary rainbow. Accessed 4 2024. https://atoptics.co.uk/blog/effect-of-drop-size-on-primary-rainbow/.

[3] Māhealani Pai, ua nīnauele ʻia e Hoaloha Westcott. 2024. ʻIke ānuenue (Mei 14).