8 dazzling photos of rare 'Mother of Pearl' clouds over Nottingham

Storm Pia might have wreaked havoc across the country yesterday (December 21) but the calm after the storm was a spectacular sight in Nottingham.

People in Nottingham have shared their stunning photos of rare 'Mother of Pearl' clouds that formed over the city last night.

The "crazy rainbow clouds", (Nacreous clouds) are typically seen in Norway and other Polar regions.

Read more: Your Nottingham

The curious iridescent clouds are formed of tiny ice particles that scatter light. Displaying gorgeous pink, yellow, orange, and blue tones, they are a rare sight in the UK.

The Met Office says: "Nacreous clouds only form below -78 °C so are most likely to occur during the polar winter.

"Because of the very low temperatures required, nacreous clouds are usually only visible from the UK when the cold air which circulates polar regions in the stratosphere (known as the stratospheric polar vortex) is displaced and hovers temporarily over the UK."

While some have said the formations look like "a portal to the next dimension", according to the BBC. We prefer to think of them as magical candyfloss clouds.

Scroll through this article to see pictures from across Nottingham.