2026-02-01 04:24 UTC
I was at the Scarborough Bluffs beach today. The entire 1-km-long 100-meter-wide beach is covered with cabbage-sized frozen snowballs. Must have happened during the snowstorm. Does any one know the science behind how this happened? #meteorology #cryosphere #TorontoWeather #greatlakes #lakeontario #hydrology
Replies (2)
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@CStamp@mastodon.social 2026-03-27 03:55
@robho It might be this, popcorn snow: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graupel Very cool.
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@Chancerubbage@mastodon.social 2026-03-27 11:58
@robho @Barbramon1 What is it called? Hoarfrost? Can especially form on slightly raised vegetation. Under certain humidity and temperature conditions and the difference between earth warmth and just a few inches away, frost can build up greatly in very unusual ways. During our last frigid snap I saw such for the first time along the highway. It appeared a truck full of cotton balls had spilled, or the medians were planted with cotton ready to harvest. Not cabbage sized however.