Rare ‘night shining clouds’ captured in images by Wick weather watcher: ‘The most stunning I've witnessed’
A local weather pundit captured images of a rare meteorological phenomenon on Sunday over Wick when he witnessed a “stunning display” of noctilucent clouds.
Keith Banks snapped the display at 1.36am on June 29 from Bexley Terrace, which overlooks the harbour.
“I think these images will be of interest and educational for readers and perhaps make them more aware of these unusual and stunning clouds that form in the mesosphere at altitudes of about 50 miles above the Earth's surface,” said Keith.
“They can be witnessed on cloudless nights at our latitude in June and July.”
In his Weather Watch column covering the month of April and published in the Groat on May 9, Keith gave an overview of the noctilucent clouds.
He wrote: “Noctilucent cloud events are relatively rare meteorological phenomena that occur only close to the ceiling of the third and coldest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere, the mesosphere, where temperatures are below minus 120C (-184.0F).
“They are visible from the Earth’s surface at higher latitudes and altitudes in the range of between about 40 miles to 60 miles above the planet’s surface.”
He said that they are also referred to as "night shining clouds”.
“The display on June 29 was the most stunning that I've witnessed,” he added.
Keith also saw noctilucent clouds during the small hours of Monday morning, June 30. “However, the display was less spectacular because there was extensive clouding present in the lower troposphere.”
The weather columnist added that despite overcast conditions, temperatures in Wick today (June 30) climbed to a very sultry 21C (70F), in a hot continental mass that arrived overnight.