ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Capital Region residents woke up to a stunning pink sunrise Thursday morning. But what do the colors really mean?

The concept of “red sky at night, shepherd’s delight; red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning” first appeared in the Bible in the book of Matthew. The proverb is generally true—provided the prevailing weather conditions come from the westerly direction, as they do in the Capital Region.

When high pressure dominates, dust and small particles can be trapped in the air, scattering “blue” light and making red light more visible. A red sunrise means high pressure has passed to the east, making way for more low-pressure systems—and precipitation—to move in.

Meteorologist Jill Szwed said Thursday’s weather will fit that script. Around midday, almost all of the NEWS10 viewing area will fall under a Winter Weather Advisory, she said, and there will be lots of wintry precipitation to boot.