Saturday, March 07, 2009

Cool Snow Pleats

This morning, as we headed out for Coffee at Battle Grounds, we found pleats of snow folded up on the bumper of the Saturn:

Frontal View of Snow Pleats


Side View

I leave it to the reader to ponder what type of conditions lead to snow formations of this nature.

2 comments :

Aunt March said...

One of the neatest pictures of snow I have ever seen.

Mom

Great Grumpy Z. said...

Grumpy's Theory of Pleated Snow:
Step one-- light snowfall onto slightly slanted surface precooled to approx 32 degr F. Snow clings to this surface.
Step two-- apply radiant heat such that snow does not absorb nor reflect said radiance (infra red). Slanted precooled surface warms to above 32 degr F, melting bottom surface of snow.
Step three-- thin layer of snow slides on now-wet slanted surface, folding as it encounters obstacle at bottom.