The stratosphere above the Arctic Circle is getting cold … very cold. That’s one way – the only way for space weather scientists – to explain these colorful clouds – polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) – which require temperatures around -85ºC to form and appeared over Norway and Sweden on Dec. 20th:
![polar stratospheric cloud norway december 2017, polar stratospheric cloud, polar stratospheric cloud season 2017/2018, polar stratospheric cloud december 2017 pictures](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/polar-stratospheric-cloud-norway-december-2017.jpg)
This absolutely stunning display of stratospheric clouds appeared high above the ordinary gray rainclouds. It’s very seldom to see PSCs with such vivid colours as today.
![polar stratospheric cloud norway december 2017, polar stratospheric cloud, polar stratospheric cloud season 2017/2018, polar stratospheric cloud december 2017 pictures](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/polar-stratospheric-cloud-norway-december-2017-1.jpg)
As their name implies, these surreal clouds form in the extremely dry stratosphere, high above Earth’s surface. In this second layer of Earth’s atmosphere – starting between 33,000–43,000 ft; 6.2–8.1 mi) and ending at 50 km (160,000 ft; 31 mi) almost no clouds of any type can form.
![polar stratospheric cloud norway december 2017, polar stratospheric cloud, polar stratospheric cloud season 2017/2018, polar stratospheric cloud december 2017 pictures](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/polar-stratospheric-cloud-norway-december-2017-3.jpg)
![polar stratospheric cloud norway december 2017, polar stratospheric cloud, polar stratospheric cloud season 2017/2018, polar stratospheric cloud december 2017 pictures](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/polar-stratospheric-cloud-norway-december-2017-2.jpg)
However, when the the air up there becomes extremely cold, rare water molecules coalesce and form ice crystals. High-altitude sunlight refracting on the ice creates these mind-blowing iridescent colors.
![polar stratospheric cloud norway december 2017, polar stratospheric cloud, polar stratospheric cloud season 2017/2018, polar stratospheric cloud december 2017 pictures](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/polar-stratospheric-cloud-sweden-december-2017.jpg)
![polar stratospheric cloud norway december 2017, polar stratospheric cloud, polar stratospheric cloud season 2017/2018, polar stratospheric cloud december 2017 pictures](https://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/polar-stratospheric-cloud-sweden-december-2017-1.jpg)
Keep your eyes to the sky, the 2017-18 winter season for polar stratospheric clouds is just starting.
Is that sunlight through the drops of frozen water that clouds can have.
Or is it … Haarp radiation. Those oval circles in those clouds and those colors …