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Photographer's description not available
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Photographer |
Don Hughes, NWS Wilmington |
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Date taken |
February 13, 2003 |
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Location |
Mason, Ohio (Warren
County)
map |
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Event |
Snow rollers |
Additional notes
Snow rollers are a rare meteorological
phenomenon, in which strong winds blow chunks of snow or ice along the
ground, causing them to accumulate snowpack as they roll (much like
building a snowman). There are several criteria which must be met
to favor snow rollers:
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The ground must be covered by ice or an icy, crusty
snow, so that fresh snow will not stick to it.
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About an inch or so of loose, wet snow must
accumulate on top of the icy ground.
-
Gusty and strong winds are needed to scoop out
chunks of snow and roll them along the ground.
Snow rollers range in size from an couple of inches in
diameter, to as big as a 30-gallon drum. Many times snow rollers
may be hollow in the middle, since the snow in the center is loose and
gets blown out of the roll.
Related NWS Product:
None |
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www.nws.noaa.gov 
