Perhaps one of the most beautiful — and among the rarest — of clouds in the sky are nacreous clouds or polar stratospheric clouds.
Also called Mother of Pearl clouds, they are clouds that form in very cold regions of the northern latitudes.
Mother of Pearl clouds form approximately 10 to 15 miles above ground in the lower stratosphere.
Because the stratosphere has to be very cold for Mother of Pearl clouds to form, the regions of the Earth over which these clouds form must also be very cold.
Nacreous clouds can usually be seen in areas like:
- Alaska
- Canada
- Scandinavia
- Iceland
While it might take you a long time to be lucky enough to see one a Mother of Pearl cloud, you’ll be awestruck when you finally do see one.
Their beauty is beyond words and is unlike anything you’ve ever seen in the sky.
Here are some more pictures of nacreous clouds.
I'm a weather geek from Florida who's been studying meteorology and watching weather patterns for years! I enjoy sharing little-known facts and fun stuff about the weather. I especially like sharing interesting details about weather events and conditions that can affect you… and how to prepare for Mother Nature's ever-changing weather patterns.
