The phrase describes a vivid and dramatic atmospheric situation. It suggests a sky intensely coloured, transitioning from deep reds to areas of stark darkness, and carrying a way of untamed, virtually violent, vitality. This might, for instance, depict the moments instantly following a volcanic eruption when ash and gases saturate the environment.
Such phenomena, whether or not naturally occurring or induced by exterior occasions, have traditionally evoked robust emotional responses. They are often related to each magnificence and foreboding. Observing these intense atmospheric states can present invaluable knowledge relating to the composition and dynamics of higher atmospheric layers, and provide perception into meteorological and geological occasions.