Snow Rollers!

Yukimarimo (Snow Rollers)

Thanks to Terrence and Gayle , both of Illinois, for sending in this great information and wonderful pics of snow actually rolling itself into snowballs on the prairie this past week!

"There is a strange and wondrous weather phenomenon known as Yukimarimo, in which high winds pick up and carry a just-right amount of snow and roll it into a cylinder -- effectively, a self-rolling snowball, or "snow roller". This has been seen in Alaska and Antarctica... but on Monday, they got 'em in Kansas, and somebody took pictures. http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/dp_wdl/snowroller1.asp.

Probably something I will never see again. Kids loved them!"

-Terence

"I am sending you our own little Illinois bit of "Arctic" weather. These pictures were taken yesterday in our school yard. These balls of snow were created because we already had snow on the ground and then we had high winds in excess of 60 mph. All the weathercasters around are saying that they have seldom or even never seen this occur before--they had heard of it, but had never witnessed it! We are located in east central Illinois, and many many of our fields (esp. those with flat topography) are full of these snowballs. Enjoy!"

- Gayle