Snow Ghosts, Tesuque Peak, NM, January 30, 2009
When high-altitude locations are enshrowded in clouds during snowstorms, (in effect creating freezing fog combined with falling snow), the combination of the rime ice or hoarfrost on the trees and the snow that adheres to it creates a phenomenon known to skiers as "snow ghosts." While the display I observed on January 30 was not the most spectacular I have seen, the contrast of the snow on the trees with the deep blue sky did result in a rather striking image.
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