Recently, during the first weekend that Bigrock was open, the trees toward the top were coated in white ice, and I hear it looked spectacular! This type of ice is called Rime Ice, and it occurs when super-cooled water droplets — upon being disturbed by coming into contact with something (like a tree) — will immediately adhere to that object as a distinctly white-colored (as opposed to clear) ice.
Rime ice can get quite thick and weather observers at the summit of Mount Washington sometimes have to go out and chisel it off of the weather instruments!
Now there is another kind of ice which forms which can be even more “photogenic” than rime ice! It is known as hoar frost, and it differs from rime ice in that it skips the water droplet phase but instead goes directly from water vapor to ice crystals. Hoar frost creates these incredibly delicate stalagmite structures that grow on every little branch and twig. When you blow on them, they come right off. This does not happen with rime ice, as it adheres to things much more solidly.
There is another type of ice that can make for stunning photographs, freezing rain. it can be pure crystalline wonder, especially when the sky is blue and the sun is out.
Though crystalline wonder is probably the last thing you are thinking about if your have to drive in it!
Ted Shapiro holds the Broadcast Seal of Approval from both the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association. An Alexandria, Va. native, he has been Chief Meteorologist at WAGM-TV since 2006. Email him at tshapiro @wagmtv.com.
