Strange Snowballs Invade the US!

A strange and rare winter weather marvel appeared overnight in Eastern states blasted by blustery winds — snow sculpted into fanciful shapes such as doughnuts and hollow tubes.

Known as snow rollers, the delicate formations are as light as meringues and may crumble when touched, but others are icy enough for play. They were a social media phenomenon today (Jan. 27), sweeping Twitter and Facebook as people from Ohio, Illinois and Pennsylvania posted images of their yards dotted with strange snowballs.

news.yahoo.com...



According to the National Weather Service, snow rollers need just the right conditions to form. A combination of what I call dry snow, but sticky and strong enough to hold the snow together. There also needs to be winds and cold temperatures to push them over the ground.
We've definitely had the cold temperatures this year, reaching all the way to Florida!
The last time snow rollers were reported was in 2009.

I've lived where it snows in the winter all my life, but we've never had any of these around here, to my knowledge.
Interesting. This is the first time I've heard of these.

The snow rollers are the latest in a string of strange winter weather events this month. After the polar vortex dropped temperatures in early January, Lake Michigan birthed its annual crop of giant ice balls. The ice balls form as freezing lake water is tumbled by waves, forming spheres. The coastline of Lake Superior froze as well, allowing hikers to head out to icy sea caves near Wisconsin's Apostle Islands. And the New Year started with a bang in Canada when frost quakes were reported throughout Ontario. When the polar vortex swept through, the cold air rapidly froze water in the ground, causing ice to expand and crack in frost quakes.

reply to post by sled735


I read about this the other day. I have lived in Alberta (Canada) all my life and have been through some pretty cold winters (colder than -40F even) and I have never seen this phenomenon even once. We also have quite a bit of wind here (being on the prairies) and I still have never seen this.Really strange. Must be something to do with the more temperate temperatures in the U.S? I know it's extremely cold for most of our neighbors to the south, but those are average to warmer winter temperatures up here. Really neat phenomenon at any rate. It's like you guys have tumbleweeds made of snow!

I've never heard of, or seen these either. Very cool!
SF

reply to post by DeadSeraph


I thought of tumbleweed as well. Forgot to mention it in my post. I've lived winters in Saskatoon, kamloops and other snowy locations and have never seen those form.

Very rare! Another example occurred in Lincolnshire, England in the 1970s - I remember a photograph being used on the cover of the Royal Meteorological Society magazine Weather. See en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by SummerLightning


Thanks for the extra information.

Wow! Look at this one! It looks like a long roll of cotton!

Something for those following the Mars pictures of strange formations. I don't see much of a dfference, on Mars there is extreme but not total dryness, and a complimentary wind that you would not even notice so much on Earth.
All makes for strange looking effigies.

sled735

A strange and rare winter weather marvel appeared overnight in Eastern states blasted by blustery winds — snow sculpted into fanciful shapes such as doughnuts and hollow tubes.

Known as snow rollers, the delicate formations are as light as meringues and may crumble when touched, but others are icy enough for play. They were a social media phenomenon today (Jan. 27), sweeping Twitter and Facebook as people from Ohio, Illinois and Pennsylvania posted images of their yards dotted with strange snowballs.

news.yahoo.com...

Hahaha! It looks like China has figured out how to manufacture hollow snowmen!

You find the best things, Sled!

reply to post by nugget1


Thanks.

I'm glad you like it.

It's just Frosty's hat. He lost it chasing his carrot nose that flew off during the wind.

reply to post by sled735


Hopefully those rolls aren't a part of Frosty, there won't be any new snowmen born for a while.

reply to post by rickymouse


((( Vader ))) noooooooooooo.....


Hehe.. thanks to sub par temps/snow and wind...I still have not seen this...looks like a rolled up hay bale only ice...
And its been 23 or less here for 2 weeks....
Oh let the child in me see something new!

OP'R. this is a nice break from all I've seen here today...let the winter wonder land swift me away......

Ok this is freaky.

These strange snowballs and i found multiple recent videos of people claiming the snow outside is not snow, doesn't melt and in fact burns and smells like plastic. Is this a joke ? Can people with snow try this out ?

www.youtube.com...

www.youtube.com...

www.youtube.com...

reply to post by Jeroenske


WOW! That's NOT cool!

I think someone's in trouble! Bet "they" didn't expect that nature would come along and show what they'd been up to!

Thanks for the tip! I would go get some snow now, but it's just above 0, and I'm in my p.j.s. Maybe someone else can test this?

DeadSeraph
reply to post by sled735

 

I read about this the other day. I have lived in Alberta (Canada) all my life and have been through some pretty cold winters (colder than -40F even) and I have never seen this phenomenon even once. We also have quite a bit of wind here (being on the prairies) and I still have never seen this.Really strange. Must be something to do with the more temperate temperatures in the U.S? I know it's extremely cold for most of our neighbors to the south, but those are average to warmer winter temperatures up here. Really neat phenomenon at any rate. It's like you guys have tumbleweeds made of snow!

I've seen them here on the east coast. I think the difference lies in the type of snow that you guys get and the type we get. Here we live right on the ocean so the snow we get is damp and sticky, makes excellent snowmen. From what i hear from friends out in AB the snow is dryer (probably due to that damn temperature out there!)

reply to post by Jeroenske


I think those should have their own thread, that is very weird.

OP, those are amazing! Been in MI almost all my life, and never saw them.
Thanks for sharing!

reply to post by chiefsmom


Thankfully someone already made one.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

I don't no what to think. I never tried setting snow on fire and there is none here to test it.
I do know firecrackers "burn" snow like that.