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#JustCurious: The difference between hoar frost and rime ice

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Saskatchewan winters can produce some breath taking scenery. The snow covered trees are absolutely photogenic, but are they covered with hoar frost or rime ice?

Hoar frost is undoubtedly the more well-known term. So let’s dive into the difference. Rime ice happens in areas of dense fog. It’s when super cooled water drops (in liquid form) in the air come into contact with a surface at below freezing temperatures. The liquid water droplets freeze on contact and it looks, well, stunning. It can cause problems, but it’s pretty.

Hoar frost is similar to dew in a lot of ways. It happens on cold and clear nights. Water vapour (gas form) freezes onto a surface at below-freezing temperatures, skipping the liquid phase altogether.

What you see most of the time in Saskatchewan, is likely rime ice, not hoar frost.

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