Weather enthusiasts recently captured stunning images of rare iridescent clouds over parts of the UK, including Scotland, northern England, and the West Midlands. These clouds, known as nacreous clouds, have been compared to UFOs due to their striking appearance.
Typically, nacreous clouds form in extremely cold conditions above the polar regions. However, on Tuesday, they were observed over Edinburgh, Fife, Staffordshire, Merseyside, Lincolnshire, and Cheshire.
These clouds, which appear like mother of pearl, are most vibrant when they reflect pastel light during sunrise and sunset. This effect is created as sunlight diffracts through the tiny ice crystals within the clouds.
BBC meteorologist highlights nacreous clouds’ unique, high-altitude beauty amid cold conditions.Forecasters and residents shared photos and videos of these rare clouds on X (formerly Twitter). BBC meteorologist Tomasz Schafernaker noted that nacreous clouds can reach altitudes three times higher than commercial aircraft and signify exceptionally cold air in the upper atmosphere.
Normally seen in Scandinavia, northern Canada, and northern Russia, nacreous clouds are a rarity in the UK. They appear when polar vortex conditions, which usually stay around polar regions, temporarily shift over the UK. The last sighting over Scotland was in January.
Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon explained that these clouds are composed of smaller ice particles than common clouds, which helps scatter light differently, creating their unique appearance.
Despite their beauty, the UK weather forecast leading up to Christmas is less favorable. The Met Office has issued a wind warning for the northern UK, anticipating winds of 70-80 mph in northern Scotland and 45-55 mph elsewhere. This system, named Storm Pia by Danish authorities, may cause travel disruptions and power outages.
Dixon also mentioned potential snow on Christmas Day in the far north of Scotland, with rain and showers expected on Friday.