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Mangesh Hattikudur
Snow Way!
by Mangesh Hattikudur - June 22, 2009 - 10:22 AM

At first, I just assumed that these giant dinner mints were man-made. They’re actually a rare, natural phenomenon known as “snow rollers.” According to The Cellar, snow rollers can only form when the ground is covered in a layer of ice (so that the snow won’t stick to it), and when the wind blows gently enough to nudge the rolls forward without breaking them. Also, the snow itself has to be “wet and loose, with a temperature near the melting point of ice.” Having all three conditions occur at the same time is pretty unusual, but supposedly the deliciously minty-looking phenomenon can occur anywhere (meaning anywhere that’s snowy and gusty enough). The first photo is from the Idaho panhandle, and the second is from Cincinnati.

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Story via the always stunning The Cellar.

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Comments (6)

  1. I have a picture of one of these somewhere, that I took in Champaign, IL a few years ago. The couple that I saw were pretty small, though – it at least looks like these are bigger.

    posted by Dustin Fritsche on 6-22-2009 at 11:18 am

  2. I think you’re right Dustin… according to most sites, they only get about 2 feet tall at the biggest. The perspective on the second pic is probably what makes it look so large (even the blades of grass in front of it look enormous!).

    posted by Mangesh Hattikudur on 6-22-2009 at 11:22 am

  3. These show up often in Nebraska.
    As kids we used to roll a bunch close to together and make SUPER AWESOME snow roller forts.

    posted by holly on 6-22-2009 at 11:22 am

  4. Please no pictures of snow! It just now warm enough here (Michigan) to go outside without a jacket.

    posted by Keeker on 6-22-2009 at 11:58 am

  5. How interesting! I have never seen or even heard of these!

    posted by Hyacinth on 6-22-2009 at 12:36 pm

  6. I first saw pictures of these in Nat’l Geographic’s World (do they even publish that anymore? I used to *love* that magazine when I was a kid!) We get them from time to time in Wyoming – but the conditions need to be just right -a little damp, warm and windy.

    posted by swss on 6-22-2009 at 2:09 pm

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