Hoar Frost: Onwards To Mt. Aspiring, New Zealand
This was mile 2 up the road to the top, everything was covered by Hoar Frost, rocks, trees, fences…and with the early morning light it was just a Magical Place…no tourists, hikers, just the two of us heading into the unknown frosty blue. We left our “Destination Cards” at the Trailhead and onward we went toward Mt. Aspiring. Why this shot? Everything was covered with Hoar Frost….
Hoar Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water. Frost crystals’ size differ depending on time and water vapour available.
Hoar frost (also called radiation frost or hoarfrost or pruina) refers to the white ice crystals, loosely deposited on the ground or exposed objects, that form on cold clear nights when heat losses into the open skies cause objects to become colder than the surrounding air. A related effect is flood frost which occurs when air cooled by ground-level radiation losses travels downhill to form pockets of very cold air in depressions, valleys, and hollows. Hoar frost can form in these areas even when the air temperature a few feet above ground is well above freezing. Nonetheless the frost itself will be at or below the freezing temperature of water. COOL, eh? www.kerstenbeck.com