(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . The Daily Bucket. Hoarfrost edition. [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-10-28 The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns. We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below. Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the phenological patterns that are quietly unwinding around us. To have the Daily Bucket in your Activity Stream, visit Backyard Science’s profile page and click on Follow. Here’s another shot of hoarfrost on Common Teasel. The foregoing photos of the hoarfrost on Teasel are the only photos of hoarfrost that I have personally. So I checked in the DKos Image Library for any other “hoarfrost”, and this is what I came up with: And what, exactly, is hoarfrost? Hoar frost is a type of feathery frost that forms as a result of specific climatic conditions. The word “hoar” comes from old English and refers to the old age appearance of the frost: the way the ice crystals form makes it look like white hair or a beard. Ground frost forms when the air is still and cold, usually on clear winter nights. Water vapour in the air condenses on solid surfaces, and as the surface temperature drops below 0°C, ice crystals form. Hoar frost requires slightly different conditions. It forms when the water vapour in the air comes into contact with solid surfaces that are already below freezing point. Ice crystals form immediately, and the ice continues to grow as more water vapour is frozen. On a still night, it can grow well on tree branches, where the surface temperature is unlikely to rise above zero for several hours. The size of the frost that forms depends on how much water vapour is available to ‘feed’ the ice crystals as they grow. Hoar frost has a distinctive appearance as it forms hair-like or feathery structures as it grows. The Woodland Trust Hmmm… so it is properly “hoarfrost” or “hoar frost”? Seems it’s acceptable to spell it either way. Google it and you get both. Now that that serious question is out of the way, what’s up with my OSAT showing, as I type this, that my OSAT is 31f (another NEW LOW, busting that boring old 33f of yesterday, big time baby!) but my computer tells me the temperature outside here in Quincy, CA, is 25f. Which has risen since I took this photo just a short while ago: Location, location, location, that’s what. I’m guessing (an educated guess, if I do say) that what my computer says is the temperature out there is coming from here, the local weather Automated Surface Observing System that’s located about a mile from my apartment, out at the airport here in Quincy, and much closer to the river than my apartment is. ASOS at Gansner Airport, Quincy, CA. As if “hoarfrost” wasn’t mystifying enough, what all does an ASOS do? [Sorry, I had to take a screen shot; copy/paste wouldn’t work] So, it tells me pretty much what I could figure out on my own if I’d just get up off my lazy butt and go look outside or actually even go outside. Ain’t technology marvelous? ❄ ⛄ 🎿 🌧 ☔ 🌈 ⚡ It was a nice bicycle ride into the bargain yesterday. Other observations: Red-tailed Hawk American Valley, Quincy, CA, from an out-of-the-ordinary vantage point. Along the bicycle path; just a scenic view, taken to sort of brag about how nice I’ve got it here. Mallard drake at Dellinger’s Pond; I had to wait and take a few shots to get this one with the sun coming in from the best angle to get the green and the reflection. Came out pretty good. Red-shouldered Hawk just a few yards off the country lane roadway, up in an old willow tree. Zoomed up close. Now it’s your turn. What’s up in your natural world? Any frost on your pumpkins, eh? Please include your location in your comments and of course photos if you got ‘em! [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/28/2202164/-The-Daily-Bucket-Hoarfrost-edition?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/