 EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes
and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and
archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


 Frost Pattern on Cold Window

   April 02, 2021

    035243255E634A4684822E8ECB91EB40 (1)

   Photographer:  Mary Kelly
   Summary Authors:  Mary Kelly;  Jim Foster

   The photo above shows an elaborate  frost pattern on a storm window
   in my home in Des Moines, Iowa. It was snapped around midday on
   February 6, 2021. Fern-like frost patterns like this will often form on
   windowpanes once the outside air temperature drops below about 14
   degrees F (-10 C) if there's sufficient moisture (usually transferred
   from the inside of the house) to allow  frost crystals to grow.

   Outside, the air temperature was 9 degrees F (-13 C). The inside
   temperature was about 66 degrees F (19 C), but on the second floor,
   where the window frost was prominent, it was probably cooler because
   the heating vents here aren’t very efficient. Worth noting, the
   humidity may have been somewhat higher than normal because the bathroom
   shower had been used earlier in the day. Also, it should be mentioned
   that the upstairs windows don’t completely latch. So it’s likely that
   the cold temperature of the indoor glass allowed moisture in the
   upstairs rooms to  crystalize directly onto the windowpanes.
     * Des Moines, Iowa Coordinates:  41.5868, -93.6250

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Cryosphere Links

     *  Guide to Frost
     *  What is the Cryosphere?
     *  Bentley Snow Crystals
     *  Glaciers of the World
     *  Ice, Snow, and Glaciers: The Water Cycle
     *  The National Snow and Ice Data Center Google Earth Images
     *  Snow and Ice Crystals

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   Space Research Association.

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