Saskatchewan turned into frosty wonderland: Learn why
theweathernetwork.com
Tuesday, December 4, 2018, 4:01 PM - Images of gorgeous ice formations from Saskatchewan have been filling up The Weather Network's photo galleries lately. We take a look at what they are and the extreme weather conditions that create them.
According to Weather Network meteorologist Kelly Sonnenburg, these picturesque conditions are likely a combination of rime ice and hoar frost, both of which form in somewhat similar ways.
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"Rime ice forms on cold days or nights when atmospheric conditions are calm and an abundance of moisture must be in place."
That was the case in this instance, where the central Prairies saw multiple days of fog and freezing fog.
"This can cause water droplets to freeze on surfaces, creating needle-like structures," Sonnenburg says.
BIG PROBLEM FOR POWER LINES
Beautiful as it may be, the frosty conditions may be the cause of outages in Saskatchewan. SaskPower is reporting widespread outages as heavy frost weighs down lines.
Sask “We’re fixing things as quickly and safely as possible,” SaskPower spokesman Jordan Jackle told the Regina Leader-Post.
Between Friday and Monday, the company received more than 30,000 calls from customers reporting power line issues.
Jackle told the Leader-post the problem will likely remain as long as the frost sticks around.
