Remarkable Rime and Mist

Abstract

You have a letter in NATURE of January 17 (p. 270), signed “Annie Ley,” which induces me to add the following:—We had here on January 6 an extraordinary rime formed at a temperature varying between 21°.5 and 25°.7 (1° warmer on the grass than at 4 feet), the air being almost calm. This rime increased in thickness and in length with the height above the ground. The length measured of the deposit on a birch-tree at 5 feet was 5/3 of an inch; at 10 feet, 1 inch; at 15 feet, 1¼ inch; and at 25 feet, 1½ inch. The hoar was nearly horizontal, pointing downwards at an angle of 15°. That deposited on the grass, however, was perpendicular, rising with a thin stem and having a large funnel-shaped head. Suddenly, at 10 a.m. of the 7th (next morning), the whole of the rime (still frozen) fell to the ground, and under the birch-tree of 30 feet in height and 18 feet across (sparse of branches, and none for 10 feet), the fallen rime covered the ground to the depth of rather more than 2 inches, and this, when melted, yielded 0.550 of an inch of water (or 3¾ inches of rime to 1 of water). The rime on the grass when carefully collected and melted yielded 0.033 of an inch. There was a dense mist whilst the rime was being deposited.