Hoar Frost

 

What is more beautiful than hoar frost? It looks like the world has been cloaked in virtue. Nothing can mar it while it lasts.  One day recently,  Chris and I took a ride in the country  near home to see hoar frost.  That is what I missed most about being in Arizona for the winter the last few years.

 

Sundog

What is more beautiful than hoar frost?  Frost forms from water vapour when the atmosphere  is above the temperature at which water freezes. When that water vapour comes in contact with a solid surface whose temperature is below freezing, that has the effect of changing the water vapour which is, of course, a gas into ice which is a solid when the water in the air—i.e. water vapour—reaches the temperature at which water freezes.  In cold climates like Manitoba it can take many forms.  Frost is always beautiful.

 

Frost crystals can be invisible in which case it is called black crystal. If it is clear or translucent it is white. When a mass of frost scatters light in all directions the coasting of frost will appear white. White is the colour of all colours when they are combined. When frost is contrasted with a blue sky I think the beauty becomes exquisite.

 

There are different types of frost.  One I particularly like is hoar frost or radiation frost. If we have fog in the winter that means later that day, or the next day, we will often have hoar frost.

 

Leave a Reply