On the Edge of Winter: The Rime Frost
Sometimes, when you get up and look out the window as you start a new day, you just think “Wow” and quickly grab a coat and your camera and run out the door to take pictures. Sometimes you are even in such a rush that you don’t grab a touque or gloves, and once you get out the door you realize just how cold that wind is too. But, the sacrifices one must make, are totally worth it on days like this. 😉 These photos are from a week ago, when we had such an incredibly beautiful few days of frost. I recently discovered the differences between “hoar frost’ and “rime frost”, and all these years what I thought was hoar frost, is actually rime frost. Rime frost is when water droplets, usually from a heavy fog, freeze to the outer surfaces of objects creating a white hard ice. It is often blown in with a wind and sometimes creates bizarre ice formations. Hoar frost is when frost grains grow larger than a regular frost, and is common around open areas of water.
The pictures I got on this day are of a heavy rime frost, when the world was white and beautiful. The fog was still in close too, and it created such a soft, quiet and eerie atmosphere. The frost has since melted off, as soon as the sunshine came out the next day, but it was amazing to see for the few days it was here.
Here you can see how the wind blew the fog in from one direction, creating the horizontal ice formations.
It’s Narnia! Ok, it’s not a lamppost, but close. . .
Here you can see that the pine tree was not completely covered in ice higher up, as the fog must have not swirled in that direction.
Have you ever seen a rime frost? Or a hoar frost?
Ps. You may have noticed that I have not been as active on here lately, or on the internet in general. I have been pretty overwhelmed, stressed, driven insane, busy getting ready for the Christmas craft sales I mentioned I would be in a few months ago, but with one down, and only one more to go (this Saturday), I am hoping that life will be back to “normal” soon. Although, then we’ll be right into Christmas time and so perhaps things won’t slow down at all. . . . 😉
November 30, 2016 @ 6:33 pm
Stunning photography! I’ve never heard the term Rime Frost before.
December 1, 2016 @ 10:05 am
Thank-you so much Sue! I had never heard of the term before either, until I went to write this post 😉
November 30, 2016 @ 9:04 pm
Truly beautiful! You got some stunning photos.
December 1, 2016 @ 10:05 am
Aww thanks 🙂
November 30, 2016 @ 9:18 pm
Wow, these are just the most gorgeous photos – thank you for sharing. We never get this kind of weather in ol’ rainy Victoria…well, maybe once every 5 years, for 10 minutes in the early morning.
December 1, 2016 @ 10:10 am
Thank-you so much Sheila. I guess you don’t get the frost like that, as you are so much warmer in temperature. I bet you do enjoy that 10 minutes when you get them 🙂
December 1, 2016 @ 2:59 pm
Oh my, wonderful photos!! You live in a beautiful place. Glad I know what a rime frost is now. Not seen one here for years! We have been having lots of usual frosts here. In fact, I am in an English pub by an open fire fending off a frosty night. Perfect! X
December 1, 2016 @ 4:58 pm
Thank-you Porcelina! I often see pictures of places around the world, and I think “it must be beautiful to live there” But then I realize that it’s beautiful here too. I think there is definitely beauty to find everywhere 🙂
And, sitting by an open fire sounds like the best way to spend a chilly night!
December 2, 2016 @ 7:46 am
What an eery and beautiful sight.
I had no idea there were different types of frost.
bisous
Suzanne
December 6, 2016 @ 3:05 pm
I had no idea either, until we got this last frost. It was very eery -and cold!
December 5, 2016 @ 6:32 pm
These photographs are so beautiful! Really, really stunning. I’m not a country girl by any means, but these make me want to take a long walk through wintery fields. Totally worth braving the cold to capture something so lovely.
And no, I didn’t even know those were different things. I’d heard the words, but I just thought it was all kind of the same thing!
December 6, 2016 @ 3:08 pm
The things we learn- I didn’t know until last week either! Looking at the pictures afterwards, it was definitely worth braving the cold 😉 And, thanks Jessica.
December 5, 2016 @ 9:25 pm
Beautiful. I’ve never seen a frost like that in my whole life! At least, not that I remember. Wow. And I had heard of a hoar frost but I didn’t know what it was, let alone the rime frost. Beautiful and educational!
December 6, 2016 @ 3:09 pm
Random fact of the day- that’s what I’m here for 😉 And, now I’m curious, do you get any kind of frost where you live in Australia?
December 6, 2016 @ 3:31 am
Stunning pictures!Frost gives such a magical feel. You have managed to capture some really interesting shots too!
December 6, 2016 @ 3:10 pm
Thanks so much Christina. It really felt like a “Winter Wonderland” that day- very magical indeed!
December 10, 2016 @ 11:17 am
Beautiful photos, so wintery. Hope the craft fairs are going well.
December 10, 2016 @ 11:18 am
Thanks Kate-Em! The craft fairs are over now, and they both did go well. Thanks for the well wishes 🙂
December 18, 2016 @ 7:56 pm
OH MY! These photos are just phenomenal! Drop dead gorgeous and that perfect image of what we all dream winter of being!
xoxo
-Janey
December 19, 2016 @ 10:52 am
Thanks so much Janey!
It was definitely the image of what we dream of winter as being- but so cold that it’s perhaps best enjoyed from indoors 😉