Weather Glossary

Noctilucent Cloud

Plain English first, then the technical definition. From the LightningWX Weather Course.

What Is Noctilucent Cloud?

Rare, glowing, silvery-blue clouds seen at twilight, far higher than any normal cloud. In technical terms: Ice clouds forming near the summer polar mesopause at about 76-85 km, visible when illuminated by the Sun below the observer's horizon; the highest clouds in Earth's atmosphere.

Also called: NLC, Polar Mesospheric Cloud

Noctilucent Cloud In Plain English

Rare, glowing, silvery-blue clouds seen at twilight, far higher than any normal cloud.

The Technical Definition

Ice clouds forming near the summer polar mesopause at about 76-85 km, visible when illuminated by the Sun below the observer's horizon; the highest clouds in Earth's atmosphere.

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