A rare phenomenon appeared in the forest near Bratislava. Snow hairs grew from the trees

A remarkable phenomenon was seen in Slovakia a few days ago. The so-called ice wool appeared in the forest near Bratislava. An unusual meteorological phenomenon occurs only in very specific circumstances. For example, a certain type of mushroom is needed.

A rare meteorological phenomenon briefly appeared in the forest near Bratislava. Near the Krasňany region, a forester found so-called ice wool or ice hair in the bushes of the forest. This is a very specific phenomenon in which water freezes into fine, hair-like clumps.

He says the ice fleece is a very rare phenomenon Urban forests in BratislavaThis drew attention to the presence of the phenomenon in the immediate vicinity of the capital. They usually appear for a few hours at most.

A number of factors are needed to form the ice fleece, without which the fleece has no chance of forming. It is primarily a wet winter and a very rapid drop in temperatures below zero. But the main factor is not meteorology, but mycology.

The most important thing for the birth of the ice wool is the specific type of fungus on which the hail phenomenon grows. It is a fungus called black sloppy jelly. It grows as black spots on dead wood. Mycologists don’t yet know exactly how these fungi affect the formation of the ice fleece. However, fungi are believed to secrete substances that form water in the form of hairs when it freezes.

However, people don’t have to travel all the way to Slovakia to get icy hair. Black dew is also found in the forests of the Czech Republic. In good weather, even Czech tourists can see it for a walk.

You can see pictures of the ice wool here:

Unusual natural phenomena appear in the Czech Republic. For example, in Sarsk, a pond suddenly turned red (6/2022):

TN.cz