Polar

Stratospheric

Clouds

Iridescent clouds radiating over Oslo

19 December 2023

Polar stratospheric clouds appear when water vapor condenses in the sky during extremely cold temperatures. These clouds typically appear in winter at high latitudes, where there is little solar radiation. This creates the perfect conditions for the clouds to form.

The interesting thing with these clouds is that they can damage the ozone layer. Their surface can act as a catalyst to convert chlorine into some other chemicals that can damage some of the ozone layer in a series of chain reactions.

A small rainbow cloud in a dark sky, framed in a thick white frame Iridescent Clouds in a dark sky that are silky and diffused with 4 small birds flying, in a thin white frame
A large, rasinbow, flowy cloud with a smaller clpoud under and another tiny cloud under it, in a white frame A smooth white cloud with a rainbow edge, ina white frame
Silky diffused rainbow clouds, in a white frame
Silky diffused rainbow clouds, in a white frame Silky diffused rainbow clouds, almost resmbling a skull? in a white frame
Iridescent Clouds in a dark sky that are silky and diffused, in a white frame One very diffused rainbow cloud
Wind scattered rainbow clouds lit by the setting sun on a dark blue background, in a white frame
Very orange rainbow clouds in a dark sky Very orange, wind scattered rainbow clouds in a dark sky
Rainbow clouds lit by the setting sun making them pink in a dark blue sky