Have you ever seen the natural, but relatively rare, winter phenomenon called snow rollers? I'd never even heard of snow rollers until I moved to Alberta and I'd never seen them -- until recently!
Snow rollers are snowballs which form naturally on the ground when winter meteorological conditions are "just right." They require a mild outdoor temperature around 0ºC and a light 'n fluffy snowfall of wet (not dry) snow, combined with a strong enough wind at ground level to get the snow moving. Here's a video of some quite spectacular snow rollers in rural Alberta --
Last week, snow rollers formed one afternoon on My Rare One's street! They weren't huge but they were AWESOME!
Here I am, helpfully pointing them out to you! (It looks like I'm wearing sandals but no -- those are removable snow gripper ice cleats that go over shoes or boots for better traction when walking.)
These baby snow rollers were on My Rare One's driveway behind my car. Those are my footprints.
They are so light and fluffy -- insubstantial really -- not hard-packed at all.
A quick squeeze and they disappear!
[Photos © My Rare One, January 2022]
43 comments:
Fascinating phenomena, and the way it crumbles reminds me of cotton candy.
We don't get those here. Cool! -Jenn
Kind of like our tumbleweeds in New Mexico?
This is a new one to me. Nature playing with snowballs.
Also it's a treat to see you, too. Another first for me anyway.
@ BootsandBraids -- Yes! Just exactly like cotton candy -- good analogy!
I didn't know there was a name for those! I'm pleased to learn something new.
so cool! alberta tumbleweeds!
Nature always amazes me. Another wonderful example. Thank you for sharing.
Two things: these are very cool and I'd never heard of them much less seen them.
AND ... "mild outdoor temperature around 0ºC."
MILD???????
I have never seen the -except in pictures like yours-but they are fascinating! Would love to see them in person. xo Diana
@ Bob -- Oh gawd yeah, a winter temperature of 0ºC is positively bikini weather up here in the Great White North!
That is amazing!!!!! I have never heard of them! That is the coolest thing I saw all day.
I thought we had snow rollers here now, but the tracks I saw must have been from old man Wilson walking around nude with just his bathrobe again and with his low hangers out again.
Awesome post
That is so very cool. Literally cool. I've never heard of such a thing.
They remind me of the tumbleweeds I used to see when we lived in Arizona.
Neato!!!
Hahahaha after having been in Alaska, I can totally believe 0 degrees is actually not too bad. I was in -41 degrees and my eyelashes were frozen.
Love the Snow Rollers! So fluffy! I have never, ever seen them. So cool.
XOXO
P.S. Loved that you decided to point them out.
That is so cool! I've never seen or heard of such a thing. Thanks for sharing with us!
Never heard of them..Thanks for the introduction..Cool phenomenon..0degrees..Mild for sure compared to our temps of late!!!
Yep, I have lived in every kind of show country. Sometime the rollers can get very large. The largest ones I have seen were about 2 feet tall. This was in Canada. Kind of fun to see them.
How fun! It's also fun to see you pointing them out to us.
Only in Canada is 0 degrees a "mild" temperature. Oh hon, better you than me.
Don't think we have that where I come from.
I've heard of that but have never seen any snow rollers. Great pictures and video! Thanks for the meteorological education!
Yes, I've seen large snow rollers before, but never on a city street. I've also sunbathed on a metal roof at 0 Celsius in the High Arctic and it was fun! Love your ice cleats even though it looks like you're wearing some really ill-fitting Birkinstocks, LOL!
I thought I knew most everything about the winter bush, but never saw snow rollers. Went through Canadian Forces winter bush survival school in Alberta.
the Ol'Buzzard
Interesting - natures snowballs!
I've never heard of snow rollers, but I like them.
I've seen snow rollers one time, a few years ago. Awesome.
what is this thing called 'snow'?
Those are cool and neat. Thanks. We get snow, some, but they don't form. I heard that they are special. We do get some nice icicles from time to time.
"A quick squeeze and they disappear", just like Fairy Floss or I think it is Candy floss in your country, that spun sugar on a stick thing.
I’d never heard of this. Thanks for the video. Truly fascinating and beautiful. Seeing you lift that huge ball in your hand, I can see how light and airy it is.
Heard of them but never saw them before. Thanks
That's pretty cool I had no idea ❄️⛄
They are so cool! I've never heard of them.
I heard of them before and saw videos.. still amazes me,
For those who may not be aware that Canada and the United States have different ways of determining temperature, O Celsius is roughly equivalent to 32 Fahrenheit, the point at which water freezes.
I think it's invisible aliens doing that. Don't let them get too big. They may attack.
I've never heard of them but they look cute!
Shucks, I would have missed them if you hadn't pointed them out!
Loved this, Debra! I knew about the phenomenon, but I don't recall ever seeing snow rollers. They remind me of sailing stones that form in desert areas like Death Valley. If you get the right combination of rock, ice, and wind, the rocks will sail along driven by wind pushing against broken ice piled up behind the rocks. thanks for sharing this!
I've never heard of such a thing. I'll probably never see it in Texas but never say never. We've still got climate change.
That is so cool! Never heard of this before! Thanks for the video and great pictures! You are so cute! Big Hugs!
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