Many people across the UK noticed the skies were a vivid red colour last weekend (August 17-18) but what was the reason for this?

Sunset and sunrises were enhanced with many making the most of the opportunity to take pictures of the unusually vibrant skies.

An environmental phenomenon was the cause behind this and here's why it happened.

Why were the skies red over the weekend?

The reason skies were a more vivid red colour over the weekend was due to smoke from wildfires travelling across the Atlantic Ocean.

Fires have been happening in North America (especially in Canada) with smoke from this travelling thousands of miles thanks to a split jet stream.

A jet stream is a high altitude current of air that occurs when warmer air from the south meets cooler air from the north, and is responsible for much of the UK's climate, BBC News reports.

This makes the sky look more orange, BBC forecaster Grant Burleigh-Harvey says, as the smoke particles diffuse the sunlight.

There is a sepia effect from the red, brown and orange hues which can make for more dramatic views.

Sky News meteorologist Kirsty McCabe adds: "You might have noticed the skies have been rather hazy this weekend, thanks to the jet stream bringing smoke from North America (mainly from Canadian wildfires) all the way across the Atlantic to our shores.

Recommended reading:

"Luckily because the smoke particles are so high up in our atmosphere they won't have an impact on our health, but they could enhance our sunsets and sunrises this weekend."

The unusual hues should continue until Monday evening (August 19) when more unsettled weather will begin to disperse the smoke in the upper atmosphere.

Night sky watchers will also have the benefit of being able to view a blue super moon on the same evening.