Without claiming any expertise, my understanding is the various refractive phenomena can only occur in quite narrow "windows of opportunity". These again relate to the sun elevation, atmospheric conditions, and temperature.
I live around 60 deg N and we tend to see light pillars, sun dogs, and various arcs mainly in the very deepest part of the winter, in which sun is more or less under the horizon, and frost fog and temperature inversions are formed in the lowlands. Even though conditions are conducive, these sky phenomena occurs quite seldom. There can be many years between each incident.
The manner in which the reflections and arcs are manifested are strongly dependent on crystalline particles in the air and their orientation, again relating to ambient temperature etc.
Some years ago, we had a series of light pillars showing up early afternoon, unfortunately, commencing when I was commuting home and not lasting very long. The last day I managed to catch an arc ('Moilanen' type, I'm told) just over the roof of my home. I had given up the other light shapes and was heading home in a dark mood. No more sky embellishments. Just went to my mailbox to pick up the paper and voila, the arc blazed on the sky. I had too low vantage point to get the pillar, though, as it went down not up. You cannot have it all, presumably.
Never seen anything like this ever since, not counting some sun dogs and the odd halo in winter though.
