Snow rollers: They see me rollin’

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - World-class views greet anyone who travels through the Last Frontier. While pristine Alaskan views really pop during the spring and summer months, the winter season and early spring can still provide the opportunity for Mother Nature to surprise us.

While snow has been hard to come by across parts of the state this snow season, those who are still blanketed in white may come across a strange and unusual phenomenon. Snow rolled up like carpets appearing in open fields or hilly areas can cause confusion to some, but these snow rollers as they are called, are unique in how they form and can only occur under very specific conditions at the surface.

Snow rollers have many nicknames depending on where you live across the country. Some have coined the term “snonuts”, others have called them “Snogheeti-o’s”, with an even more peculiar name as snowman toilet paper. These chunks of rolled snow, much like the process of building a snowman, picks up more snow as it rolls across the ground.

So how do they form?

The National Weather Service details just how extremely rare these rollers are, because of the combination of snow, wind, temperature and moisture needed.

Snow:

Two layers of snow are needed, with the first layer being an existing sheet of snow that has iced over and the second layer being a fresh layer of fallen wet snow.

Winds:

The sweet spot for wind is around 25 to 30 mph, as this will provide enough lift to move the snow, but not strong enough to blow the snow away. The presence of the icy layer under the fresh snow prevents the snow from adhering to the ground, which allows for the continuous rolling of the snow.

Temperature:

Much like the winds, there is a sweet spot for the temperature. Air temperature near the surface needs to be slightly near or above freezing, as this allows the snow to stick together. Much like building a snowman, the rolling motion and the fresh snow added on top continues to add up.

While they can be seen in both flat areas and hilly locations, those in hilly areas don’t necessarily need wind. This is due to gravity starting the rolling process, although light winds will help it along.

So the next time you see what resembles several large rolls of toilet paper in the snow, remember just how unique and awesome Mother Nature is in her surprises.

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