Tuesday, January 26th 2021, 3:19 pm - Temperatures will warm up later this week.
A cool shot of Arctic air has sent temperatures plunging to –40 C or lower in parts of Alberta and while the cold spell won't last long, it's helped create a picturesque scene in some communities.
Good morning to you!
— Kyle Brittain (@KyleTWN) January 24, 2021
Calgary looks so peaceful right now, all rimed up. #yyc #ShareYourWeather pic.twitter.com/5bHT201TmR
In the Calgary area, rime ice can be seen clinging to tree branches and fences, creating postcard-worthy photo opportunities.
WHAT IS RIME ICE?
Check out this RIME ICE!
— Kyle Brittain (@KyleTWN) January 24, 2021
Here's a little bit of the science behind it. #yyc @weathernetwork pic.twitter.com/59zTjw90aN
Not to be confused with hoar frost, which forms in the absence of fog, rime ice happens in the presence of freezing fog, which is composed of supercooled water droplets that accumulate on trees, fences, and wires, creating tiny, snowy ice spikes.
In the case of the Calgary rime ice, "the accretion occurred on the southeast side," of objects, Weather Network reporter Kyle Brittain explained Sunday.
"That means we had southeast [wind] flow overnight."
Temperatures in the Calgary area will rise near the freezing mark later this week, remaining in place through the weekend.
