Frozen Fog

We have this peculiar weather condition here in Alaska that I always end up calling “frozen fog”. I’m sure it isn’t unique to Alaska, but this is the first place I’ve ever lived where I’ve experienced it. Now I’m not sure the exact scientific name. My mom calls is “hoarfrost”. I’ve heard others here refer to it as “rime frost”. Whatever the name may be, it is a very beautiful condition. The trees in town turn white. Almost pure white. Not the sort of clumpy look you might imagine by snow piling up on tree branches. Just imagine one of those fake white Christmas Trees that a place like Wal-mart sells. Yeah, it almost looks like that.

But real.

We’ve had four straight days of foggy weather here in Anchorage, a very dense, heavy sort of fog — and with weather in the low teens and below — it’s freezing to everything it touches. Every tree in the city looks like it was made special just for the holiday season. You would almost have to see it in person to really get an appreciation for how beautiful it is. I tried to capture it a little bit in some photos, but they don’t do the effect the justice it deserves.

Here it is though, for your viewing pleasure.

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