Brrrrr...

crocoite · Post by **crocoite** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 6:23 pm

A cold start to the day today...

Some of the ice crystals were 1.5 cm long.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 7:53 pm

Well I tell ya Steve, how's about sending some down to North Carolina. It has been and still is sweltering down here! A very refreshing photograph for a hot July!

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:55 pm

Steve,

Are these formations common where you live?

They are not, here in northwestern U.S.

I was surprised to see some similar things last winter, see these posts:
Frost Spikes 4
Frost Spikes 3
Frost Spikes 2
Frost Spikes

--Rik

crocoite · Post by **crocoite** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 2:01 am

Ken Ramos wrote:Well I tell ya Steve, how's about sending some down to North Carolina. It has been and still is sweltering down here! A very refreshing photograph for a hot July!

I would if I could Ken. We're set for another cold night tonight.

crocoite · Post by **crocoite** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 2:05 am

rjlittlefield wrote:Are these formations common where you live?

Hi Rik. The normal occurrence here is the acicular (needle-like) crystals. The ones in your links and my second photo, are not the norm. However, having said that, ice is a recognised mineral and has a defined crystal structure. It is hexagonal (as you may have seen in pictures of snow crystals). My second photo shows hexagonal prismatic crystals with flat-topped terminations.