I have spent 82 winters in the snow and I have never seen a snow roller. You say, "What are snow rollers?" Well snow rollers are when certain conditions are met and snow automatically forms a snow ball. Wind, temperature and snow conditions have to be just right for the little snow ball to form. So it's like when kids rolled up a big snowball to make a snow man.
This morning the temperature was plus 2 C, there was a high wind and our top layer of snow was soft and light. When I looked out there were many tennis sized balls of snow. The weight of the snow limits the size of the roller. The snow stops rolling when the ball of snow gets too heavy or rolls into a place that is partly sheltered from the wind.
Light conditions this morning made it very difficult to get photos. Most of these rollers were about tennis ball size.
In the mountains these snow balls or snow rollers can get to be very large diameter about one meter. They usually form above the tree line where there is lots of fresh snow and it it can become very windy. Then if the snow roller happens to catch a slope to roll down it can get quite large.
So this morning was a first for my 82 years.
I have heard of them but never saw them! Thanks for sharing your photos!
ReplyDeleteI was very surprised to see them.
DeleteTotally dandy, Mr. Red. I'd heard of them, but your photos are neat! What a feeling to wake up and see them. You need a Golden Retriever to fetch the snowy tennis balls. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteA golden retriever would think he'd died and gone to heaven with these to chase.
DeleteLast time we had any real snowfall around here I saw fathers having to teach their children how to make snowmen, most of the little ones having never seen snow before. I remember snow rolling off of the steep thatched roofs in the village when I was a child - quite a surprise for anyone walking below.
ReplyDeleteSome metal roofs here have problems with snow sliding off.
DeleteI have never heard of them. Love the snowman.
ReplyDeleteTake care, enjoy your day! Have a great new week!
The one poor old snow man has already been in a thaw so he's a bit the worse for wear.
DeleteThis is the second post I’ve read about snow rollers this week. Conditions were right across the west!
ReplyDeleteThat's cool.
DeleteAnd it is Sunday, so perhaps they are holy rollers.
ReplyDeleteThis comment cracked me up Coming from you.
DeleteI have never heard of them before, Red. Your photos show them perfectly! Amazing that this is your first time seeing them! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThey are rare.
DeleteThis is a phenomenon I didn't know existed!
ReplyDeleteBut there are many phenomenon I've never heard of.
DeleteThat is so interesting, Red. I've never heard of this before. How very cool that you got to see this. Thank you for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteI thought hey only happened on mountains.
DeleteI never heard of snow rollers before, thanks for explaining them.
ReplyDeleteThey're rare and not many people are aware of them.
DeleteRather than bothering about those mini snow rollers, you could have been building a snow woman in honour of The Micro Manager. You could have even dressed your snow woman in some of your wife's clothes and applied make up to the snow woman's face.
ReplyDeleteAre you trying to get me into trouble again. The locals would think I've gone nuts.
DeleteI saw them occasionally during my years in Colorado. Well, that is now something you can cross of the list of things you haven't seen, Red. ! :-)
ReplyDeleteYou must have been outdoors a lot to see them. They can get quite large in the mountains.
DeleteSnow rollers are new to me too. How cool that you finally got to experience them and then share with us.
ReplyDeleteIt takes wind, snow and the right temperature.
DeleteI do not remember ever seeing these when I grew up in the mountains of Colorado. Fun.
ReplyDeleteThey are rare.
DeleteThat is really cool!
ReplyDeleteWe had some good snowball snow, but I avoided the opportunity!
Oh come on! Pitch a few snowballs and keep your arm in shape.
DeleteI've seen them before, Red.
ReplyDeleteThese didn't get very big .
DeleteWhite is hard to photograph sometimes. Depends on the light. We had a couple of snowmen in our area and the temps are so cold that they will never melt.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard or seen such a thing though I once created some manmade ones when I lived in the steep snowy hills of Minnesota for awhile.
ReplyDeleteIt is a first for me as well Red! That is pretty neat.
ReplyDeleteHi Red, I wonder if these snow rollers can get big enough to cause An avalanche up in the mountains. I've often wondered how those avalanches get started.
ReplyDeleteyes high winds can easily give shape to soft snow i can imagine .glad you saw snow balls in your eighty two years ,back in my native town i saw first snow fall when i was in six or fifth grade i think ,it was said by seniors and news that it was happening after fifty years so it was unique and one of the most beautiful experience for me :)
ReplyDeleteThat is AMAZING! I've never seen or heard of that. What fun!
ReplyDelete