The howling north winds of the previous day’s blizzard left stunning snow cornices on the tops of steep, southward-facing slopes, such as the one here abutting a roadside ditch. All sorts of wacky and weird formations are possible when microflows set up around obstacles, such as this partly fallen fencepost that seemingly supported the arching part of the banded cornice formation. Somehow, these extreme overhangs held themselves up against collapse through the collective force of adhesion of the snowflakes deposited there by the wild Oklahoma winds. Since we don’t get breaking ocean waves here, of the gnarly kind that gives surfers a rush, this may be the next closest geometric resemblance in nature. No swimsuits were donned on this day, though; temperatures outside didn’t escape the single digits Fahrenheit.
Norman, OK (2 Feb 11) Looking NW
35.2038, -97.3859Wavy Overhangs
The howling north winds of the previous day’s blizzard left stunning snow cornices on the tops of steep, southward-facing slopes, such as the one here abutting a roadside ditch. All sorts of wacky and weird formations are possible when microflows set up around obstacles, such as this partly fallen fencepost that seemingly supported the arching part of the banded cornice formation. Somehow, these extreme overhangs held themselves up against collapse through the collective force of adhesion of the snowflakes deposited there by the wild Oklahoma winds. Since we don’t get breaking ocean waves here, of the gnarly kind that gives surfers a rush, this may be the next closest geometric resemblance in nature. No swimsuits were donned on this day, though; temperatures outside didn’t escape the single digits Fahrenheit.
Norman, OK (2 Feb 11) Looking NW
35.2038, -97.3859