On January 22, nature put on a rare show in this small town in upstate New York.
A winter storm brought strong winds and fresh snow, causing dozens of “snow machines” to appear on the outskirts of Rochester, Chile, overnight, local video showed.
Snow rollers are nature’s own snowballs that grow larger and larger as the effects of wind, gravity, and very specific weather conditions cause these winter equivalents of tumbleweeds to begin rolling.
Snow groomers can be as large as a small snowball or as large as a car, according to the Idaho Department of Education.
What causes snow groomers?
Screenshots from the video taken by the Chili community show dozens of “snow machines,” which are naturally formed snowballs that can grow to the size of a car.
According to a 2018 National Geographic article about snowballing, only certain conditions can support snowballing because the phenomenon requires the right mix of moisture, snow, wind and temperature. Snowballs are also known as “snowballs,” “snowballs,” and “snow donuts.”
There must be a thin layer of snow on top of the ice on the ground, sometimes a hill or other flat area without a bit of vegetation. The snow needs to be wet enough so that it sticks to itself, but not to the ground. Winds must reach around 30 miles per hour to blow the snow into a cylindrical shape, and temperatures must be three to five degrees above freezing.
This level of cold allows the snowball to form a cool shape but does not allow the snow to completely melt.
Types of snow groomers
small roller – Resembles a snowball, usually several inches wide.
big roller – Can reach several feet in diameter, and because of the way they are formed, can be hollow in the center.
Snow groomers also appeared in other counties
In addition to the United States, snow groomers have also been spotted in Canada, Scotland and Norway.
Bill Wolcott is a producer who helps cover Buffalo Bills, high school and Rochester sports. The lifelong New Yorker has been a reporter for 31 years.
This article originally appeared in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester, NY blizzard causes rare snow rollers
