Ominous orange sky gives San Francisco apocalyptic tint

People in San Francisco and elsewhere in California woke Wednesday to a deep orange sky that triggered apocalyptic visions in a year already rife with disturbing events.

Skies so dark at times that it appeared more night than day were accompanied in some places with ash falling like snow, the cause being massive wild fires filling the air with smoke and cinders.

As smoke gets thick in some areas, it blocks sunlight causing dark skies, the officials explained.

"The orange skies this morning are a result of wildfire smoke in the air," San Francisco Bay air quality officials said in a tweet. "These smoke particles scatter blue light and only allow yellow-orange-red light to reach the surface, causing skies to look orange."

Photos of the eerie scene, particularly of a San Francisco skyline fit for a dystopian science fiction film, spread quickly on social media.

An exterior view of the ballpark before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Seattle Mariners at Oracle Park.

Smoke from California wildfires obscure the sky over Oracle Park as the Seattle Mariners have batting practice before their game against the San Francisco Giants.

Dark skies blocking the sun chilled temperatures at what has historically been the warmest time year in San Francisco. | The historical Alcatraz Island is seen under an orange sky darkened by the smoke from California wildfires in San Francisco, California.

Smoke from various wildfires burning across Northern California mixes with the marine layer, blanketing the San Francisco skyline in darkness and an orange glow, seen from Treasure Island.

A ship passes beneath the Bay Bridge as smoke from various wildfires burning across Northern California mixes with the marine layer, blanketing San Francisco in darkness and an orange glow.

An orange glow fills the sky above the Embarcadero as smoke from various wildfires burning across Northern California.

Under darkened skies from wildfire smoke, a jogger makes his way along McCovey Cove outside Oracle Park.

Cars drive along the San Francisco Bay Bridge under an orange smoke filled sky at midday in San Francisco.

The Bay Bridge is seen under an orange sky darkened by the smoke from California wildfires in San Francisco, California.

Cars drive along the San Francisco Bay Bridge under an orange smoke filled sky at midday in San Francisco, California. More than 300,000 acres are burning across the northwestern state including 35 major wildfires, with at least five towns 'substantially destroyed' and mass evacuations taking place