June 22, 2009: Snow Rollers

xoxoxoBruce · 06-21-2009, 11:18 PM

They look a little like snow covered hay rolls, but they are not.

Quote:

On the evening of March 31st, 2009, Tim Tevebaugh was driving home from work east of Craigmont in the southern Idaho Panhandle. Across the rolling hay fields, Tim saw a very unusual phenomenon. The snow rollers that he took pictures of are extremely rare because of the unique combination of snow, wind, temperature and moisture needed to create them. They form with light but sticky snow and strong (but not too strong) winds. These snow rollers formed during the day as they weren’t present in the morning on Tim’s drive to work.

Quote:

The following conditions are needed for snow rollers to form:

The ground must be covered by a layer of ice to which snow will not stick.
The layer of ice must be covered by wet, loose snow with a temperature near the melting point of ice.
The wind must be strong enough to move the snow rollers, but not strong enough to blow them too fast.
Alternatively, gravity can move the snow rollers as when a snowball, such as those that will fall from a tree or cliff, lands on steep hill and begins to roll down the hill.
Because of this last condition, snow rollers are more common in hilly areas. However, the precise nature of the conditions required makes them a very rare phenomenon.

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ZenGum · 06-21-2009, 11:30 PM

Basically, cylindrical snowballs, right?

Wow. I love it when freaky stuff happens.

SPUCK · 06-22-2009, 05:01 AM

Those pictures are from a mile away and they're sixty five feet high. If you look closely you can see cows and sheep embedded in them.

xoxoxoBruce · 06-22-2009, 05:46 AM

Most of them are 18 inches to two feet in diameter.

spudcon · 06-22-2009, 06:03 AM

Those are small cows and sheep that I see embedded in them.

capnhowdy · 06-22-2009, 07:27 AM

Makes me want to be there instead of in this 100+ degree hell we're in down here. Looks refreshing.

classicman · 06-22-2009, 07:36 AM

Mother Nature is so amazing - Thanks Bruce, another great find.

Clodfobble · 06-22-2009, 08:03 AM

Katamari Damacy!

Shawnee123 · 06-22-2009, 10:43 AM

Very cool. Reminds me of that rolled up hay or straw or whatever it is...when I worked at the produce farm in the market some guy asked me how much one of those rolls weighed. I'm like "how the hell should I know?" No, not really, I only thought that.

xoxoxoBruce · 06-22-2009, 11:20 AM

A 5 ft hay roll should weigh about 1,000 lbs.

Shawnee123 · 06-22-2009, 11:28 AM

Dang. Wish the Cellar had existed in 1981, or at the very least that I knew Bruce.

That's funny, though, I might have told the guy, these days "I don't know, I'll google it later."

Brianna · 06-22-2009, 12:33 PM

How come so many weird things happen in Idaho?

Hemingway, separatists, my own private...now this.

Makes you think.

dar512 · 06-22-2009, 02:34 PM

Apologies to Bri and Hemingway, but snow rollers happen in lots of places.

Gravdigr · 06-22-2009, 03:25 PM

Here in KY, we don't roll our snow. We roll our dope, though, we've been known to do that on occasion. Our snow, now, we line that up in big fat slobberknockers on a large mirr---oh, wait, wait, nevermind.

capnhowdy · 06-22-2009, 05:49 PM

I wish we could get enough snow to roll down here. It's once in a blue moon.

06-21-2009, 11:30 PM	#2
ZenGum Has OCD and ADD; has OCD and hey look at the birdy! Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 6,699	Basically, cylindrical snowballs, right? Wow. I love it when freaky stuff happens. __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

06-22-2009, 05:46 AM	#4
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 36,410	Most of them are 18 inches to two feet in diameter. __________________ The Truth and Robert Shapiro Shall Set You Free.

06-22-2009, 06:03 AM	#5
spudcon Beware of potatoes Join Date: May 2007 Location: Upstate NY, USA Posts: 1,854	Those are small cows and sheep that I see embedded in them. Attached Images __________________ Mag ingot ng ilong mo! Last edited by spudcon; 06-22-2009 at 06:18 AM. Reason: add pics

06-22-2009, 07:27 AM	#6
capnhowdy Blatantly Homosapien Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 6,077	Makes me want to be there instead of in this 100+ degree hell we're in down here. Looks refreshing. __________________ Please type slowly. I can't read very fast............... and no holy water, please.

06-22-2009, 07:36 AM	#7
classicman 50/50/90 Ruler Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 14,220	Mother Nature is so amazing - Thanks Bruce, another great find. __________________ Evidence that contradicts the ruling belief system is held to extraordinary standards, while evidence that entrenches it is uncritically accepted. -Carl Sagan Support America - Support Arizona

06-22-2009, 05:01 AM	#3
SPUCK Professor Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,015	Those pictures are from a mile away and they're sixty five feet high. If you look closely you can see cows and sheep embedded in them.

06-22-2009, 08:03 AM	#8
Clodfobble Overcredulous Awkward Squad Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 10,166	Katamari Damacy! __________________ My cooking blog

06-22-2009, 10:43 AM	#9
Shawnee123 Master Thespian Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 19,227	Very cool. Reminds me of that rolled up hay or straw or whatever it is...when I worked at the produce farm in the market some guy asked me how much one of those rolls weighed. I'm like "how the hell should I know?" No, not really, I only thought that. __________________ Shawnee comes up with the correct answer almost every time. --The Great and Powerful spudcon the proper course of action is to quote spudcon in your signature line. So we are reminded of your awesomeness every time you post. Not to say that we aren't already. --The Great and Powerful glatt

06-22-2009, 11:20 AM	#10
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 36,410	A 5 ft hay roll should weigh about 1,000 lbs. __________________ The Truth and Robert Shapiro Shall Set You Free.

06-22-2009, 11:28 AM	#11
Shawnee123 Master Thespian Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 19,227	Dang. Wish the Cellar had existed in 1981, or at the very least that I knew Bruce. That's funny, though, I might have told the guy, these days "I don't know, I'll google it later." __________________ Shawnee comes up with the correct answer almost every time. --The Great and Powerful spudcon the proper course of action is to quote spudcon in your signature line. So we are reminded of your awesomeness every time you post. Not to say that we aren't already. --The Great and Powerful glatt

06-22-2009, 12:33 PM	#12
Brianna Double Complete Rainbow Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 11,369	How come so many weird things happen in Idaho? Hemingway, separatists, my own private...now this. Makes you think. __________________ "I dust a bit...I am at this moment writing a lengthy indictment against our century. When my brain begins to reel from my literary labors, I make an occasional cheese dip." — John Kennedy Toole (A Confederacy of Dunces)

06-22-2009, 02:34 PM	#13
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,966	Apologies to Bri and Hemingway, but snow rollers happen in lots of places. __________________ "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." -- Friedrich Schiller

06-22-2009, 03:25 PM	#14
Gravdigr Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 2,868	Here in KY, we don't roll our snow. We roll our dope, though, we've been known to do that on occasion. Our snow, now, we line that up in big fat slobberknockers on a large mirr---oh, wait, wait, nevermind. __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements, please feel free to fuck right off.

06-22-2009, 05:49 PM	#15
capnhowdy Blatantly Homosapien Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 6,077	I wish we could get enough snow to roll down here. It's once in a blue moon. __________________ Please type slowly. I can't read very fast............... and no holy water, please.

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