GALLERY – Your rainbow cloud pictures

There was a beautiful and unusual site in the sky above South Holland yesterday (Thursday, December 21).

Thankfully a number of you caught sight of the ‘rainbow clouds’ also known as ‘mother of pearl’ and ‘polar stratospheric clouds’, or by their scientific name nacreous.

Many readers commented on how beautiful they looked and how they hadn’t been seen before.

The clouds made of ice crystals quite rare at these longitudes as they need specific conditions to form, namely a temperature of around -80 in the upper atmosphere 20 miles above ground as well as the sun at a certain angle.

It means you only usually see them in and around the polar regions.

But conditions above Britain have been ripe for them with clouds reported in other parts of the country in the days before Thursday.

Yesterday though it was South Holland’s turn. Here’s the pictures you’ve sent to us.

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”479″ display=”basic_thumbnail” thumbnail_crop=”0″]

more >

Jail for ‘dangerous’ stalker

13 Mar 2026

‘Capacity constraints’ to end hot-spot policing in Spalding as town board looks to other option

13 Mar 2026

Appeal for man wanted for thefts and supermarket assault

12 Mar 2026

New ward open for mental health

12 Mar 2026

Crowland homes plan refused after split decision by councillors

12 Mar 2026

Husband in court over £260,000 fraud his wife admits

11 Mar 2026