GREENSBORO, N.C. — Have you ever seen a weird weather phenomenon and wondered, 'What on earth is that?
VERIFY QUESTION
Good Morning Show viewer J.H. Smith from Denton submitted a picture of his yard, appearing to show white wisps growing on the bottoms of his trees. At first glance, it looks like snow, but why, then, wouldn't it be sticking to the ground? What is this white stuff, and what's causing it?
VERIFY SOURCE
- Meteorologist Terran Kirksey
VERIFY PROCESS
Kirksey said the white wisps in Smith's picture are frost flowers. They occur when the air is below freezing, but the ground is above freezing.
"As the temperature falls, sap and water in the stem freeze and expand, causing cracks to form in the stem. The sap and water in the roots are warmer than the freezing mark, which allows them to move up the stem toward the cracks and cold air."
Then, he explained, the sap and water slowly ooze out of the cracks and freeze in the air through the night, until either all of the sap and water in the plant freezes, or the air temperature warms above freezing.
The result is a beautiful, cotton candy-looking sight. Frost flowers can be very intricate but very delicate.
VERIFY CONCLUSION
The white wisps forming on trees this time of year are frost flowers.
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