January 3rd, 2008
ice spider webs
Yesterday, while sweeping the latest accumlation of snow off of the van, I found two “spider webs” on the left lower corner of the windshield. They were almost perfect ice crystal webs (click on above photo for a larger view). I’ve always thought it neat that certain patterns are repeated in nature.
The snow is quite deep here now, presenting an almost daily challenge to shovel the walk and find somewhere to toss everything. Both sides of the walk from the front door to the lane have banks as high as my shoulder now. I’m hoping that we don’t get too much more snow before the current accumulation has some time to settle and compress. You can get some idea of how snowy it is in the photo below. As you can see, the snow is filling in the landscape around the outbuildings. The time has come to break out the snowshoes.
Tags: ice crystals
January 3rd, 2008 at 11:20 am
Bev, those are stunning pictures, and a wonderful observation! Frankly, I cannot imagine the process that would produce that pattern. It is something to think about.
January 3rd, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I love that picture of the webs!
January 3rd, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Cool shots. I think I see an icefly in one of the webs. Happy New Year.
January 3rd, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Well those frost tracks are just lovely, Bev. I wonder if there was a spiderweb built or impacted earlier in the season, leaving behind remnants that served as ice nuclei? Nonetheless!
We just got back home. Everyone’s freaking out over the 15 degF nighttime temps. Just a bit of amusement for you! They seem to have forgotten the late eighties.
We won’t have even a glimmer of the snowfall you have. Enjoy the snowshoes!
January 3rd, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Cool pictures (ha!).
A coworker just checked on the only ski resort that I know of in Alabama. They have a one- to two-foot base, all artificial, of course, on the slopes of Lookout Mountain. Our cold weather was perfect for making snow, but I wish nature had done it. Snowfall is cause for celebration down here, you know. Also cause for mad dashes to the grocery store for milk and bread. And also running of the side of the road and crashing into things. But it’s been quite a while since we had anything significant.
January 4th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Robert – Thanks. I’ve seen ice crystal webs before, but these were about the neatest yet. I can’t really imagine how they form.
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Eileen – They certainly are neat, aren’t they?
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Ruhh – Hah! Yes, I wonder what these ice web weavers would eat?!
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Wayne – I thought the same, but checked both sides of the glass after the ice web melted away and couldn’t find residue of an old web, so I can’t really say for sure. I’ve found other somewhat similar web-type ice crystal formations in the past, but I’m not sure if they were formed over old webs, or were entirely new. In any case, they’re fun to examine!
Yes, I imagine that 15 F. night temperatures might get people talking down in your area. Up here, you don’t hear all that much complaining until it dips below 0 F.
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Mark – Yes.. “cool” pics! I was thinking that too! Somehow, I can barely imagine a “ski resport” in Alabama!!
January 4th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Bev, that “ski resort” will have temperatures around 70 by early next week. I think the snow will soon be mud.
January 4th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Stunning photos, bev. Ice creates the most interesting patterns. Quite beautiful.
January 4th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Mark – Sounds like the ski resort would have to have a second or even third purpose (casino?) to stay in business!
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robin – I liked the ice crystals against the bright blue sky. It’s been very cold, but also very bright and sunny with those impossibly blue skies that we often see in our winters.
January 4th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Wow! Now that is a cool (yar,yar) picture…I have never seen anything like that before. Amazingly web-like.
The 10 inches predicted for our area went north and south of us while we ended up with just 2 inches…go figure.
January 4th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Gosh, you have enough to snowshoe? I’m jealous. Here, the ground is almost all bare again.
Love the “webs”!
January 4th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Bev, those really are spectacular photos! I’ve never seen anything remotely like that, not even during my years in and around Chicago where there was real snow and ice (unlike the teasing weather here in Texas). Have you (or anyone else reading this blog) ever seen such things, especially like the top photo? It’s stunning, really!
January 5th, 2008 at 11:02 am
I was delighted when I checked and found your posts today. Have missed your posts. Looking at your ice spider web photos, I recognized your studio and went to your archives to find the photo I remembered from last September.
http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2007/09/23/before-and-after/
Good to
see
how blue
the sky can be.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Phantom Midge – We’ve had plenty of snow up here. In fact, I’d be happy if we had a little less!
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Dave – Yes, plenty for snowshoeing, but in all likelihood we’ll lose quite a bit over the next couple of days as it’s supposed to go to 50F with rain.
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John – I’ve seen spider web type frost before, so I suspect they aren’t all that rare. My brother has seen similar too.
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am – Thanks.. yes, I haven’t been posting too much in recent weeks. Perhaps I’ll feel a little more inspired when spring rolls around.
January 13th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Nice find!
I wonder how this sort of pattern comes about though. It is very different from the sort of fractal like branching pattern that one sees with frost! Bet there is some interesting physics there.
January 13th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Hi Bev! catching up with you…what a fun design to find ;0)
January 20th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Beautiful and beautiful! The pattern repetition is amazing (there must be a mathematical reason for it). Personally, I am envious of your ability to capture these crystals so well.
January 24th, 2008 at 7:59 am
I’ve never seen webs form like that!
Those are beautiful images.
It would be interesting to have been able to “see” these as they were forming.
January 31st, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Incredible! I have seen a lot of ice patterns, but none quite like these.
February 16th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
What fabulous photos. We moan about ice, but it sure creates some wonderful effects to photograph.