Chance of purple pearlescent clouds above Netherlands this morning

Netherlands residents may wake up to a beautiful purple glow in the sky on Christmas morning. Due to the bitter cold high in the air, pearlescent clouds may form, according to meteorologist Arjan Willemse, RTL Nieuws reports.

"Normally clouds are made of water vapor. Not these clouds. Pearlescent clouds consist of waste products: chlorides that are emitted by us humans. These chlorides are poorly degradable and clump together at extremely low temperatures, which in turn creates pearlescent clouds", Willemse said to the broadcaster. 

The pearlescent clouds form at a height of about 25 kilometers, much higher than normal clouds that form at around 12 kilometers. That high in the air temperatures will drop to around -80 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. 

The icy temps high in the air will not affect temperatures on the ground. Maximums over the Christmas period will reach around 6 or 7 degrees. Christmas day will start out chilly, but also have occasional sunshine. Boxing Day will be colder and mostly cloudily.