Snowrollers

pushes giant snowflakes downwind. These "seeds" roll, bounce and tumble, like snowy tumbleweeds, over the surface under the herding of wind. Additional snow then adheres to the seed, and the snowroller grows until it finally becomes too heavy for the wind to push. Snowrollers leave behind a characteristic track linking the snowroller's origin to its final resting spot.

The snowroller's path can be straight ahead or erratic depending on how the gusty wind pushes the roller along. Sloped terrain may also assist in the formation and movement of the snowroller seed as the force of gravity assists the wind force pushing on the rolling snow body.

Once the snowroller becomes stationary, it enters its next stage of existence. Further snowfall may bury or surround the roller and hide its track, thus making it indistinguishable from snow covering rocks, vegetation or bumps in the surface. If the snowroller remains exposed for any length of time, various processes will work on the snow transforming the snowroller into a rather unspectacular lump of snow. Eventually, the snow melts, thus ending the life of the snowroller.

Some wonderful photos of a snow roller event in Central Illinois this February can be found at:Snow Rollers In Illinois

Copyright 2003, Keith C. Heidorn, All Rights Reserved. (Illustrations, unless otherwise specified, ©2003, Spectrum Educational Enterprises, All Rights Reserved.)

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic