Monday 25 February 2013

Icy surprise in the hedge rows

Having mentioned one icy mystery last week, here is another that I have spotted in southern England this week.  We have had a spell of bright but cold weather - around freezing plus or minus a few degrees for a few days.

In the hedgerows by the roads, once in a while you find a surprising and spectacular patch of icicles like this

Icicles in the hedges in UK
Icicles in the hedges in UK




or this

Icicles in the hedges in UK
More icicles in the hedges in UK



and just a metre or two to each side the hedges are completely dry and free of ice.

It turns out that there is always a puddle of nearly-freezing water on the road and that it is constantly being splashed into the hedge by passing vehicles.  Some of it freezes and forms icicles, and the remains that drip off might form icicles on the ground.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...
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Plasma Engineer said...

Aaarrgh - sorry to the anonymous contributor! In haste I clicked the wron button and deleted your comment instead of answering!

No - these weren't in Hampshire, but not far away in Oxfordshire and Berkshire.