In the world of crazy awesome natural phenomenon, snow doughnuts rank up there.
Also called "snow rollers," the cylindrical snow shapes form when conditions are just right. According to the National Weather Service in Boise, the elements came together just right a couple weeks ago in central Idaho. The frosty shapes stand out on the landscape.
"Check out these snow rollers that formed near Fairfield, Idaho last weekend. A very rare phenomenon, as you need the right ingredients to form them: a thin layer of fresh wet and loose snow, a layer powder snow below the surface layer, so the new layer of snow does not stick, and the wind must be strong enough to move the snow rollers but not too strong to break them apart. When the snow roller forms, the inner layers are weak and thin compared to the outer layers and can easily be blown away, thus leaving what looks like a doughnut." - US National Weather Service Boise
The Facebook post has been shared almost 1,000 times, and the Atlantic's CityLab wrote about it last week. For more snow doughnut magic, check out this video shot in northern Michigan.
Find Frankie Barnhill on Twitter @FABarnhill
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