In case you haven’t noticed, Wyoming has been pretty frigid these days. In fact, this winter has already broken records in terms of lowest temperatures that the state has experienced. According to the National Weather Service in Riverton, some areas of the state, such as Rock Springs, saw biting temperatures of minus 44 degrees.
Meanwhile, other areas of the state are showing signs of these extreme times. Staying true to its name, Old Faithful continues to erupt regularly; however, instead of blasting hot water into the air, it’s producing clouds of snow. Here’s more on this bizarre natural phenomenon:
Yellowstone is one of the most highly-visited National Parks in the world.
Jeremy Wheaton/flickr
With nearly 500 geysers and plenty of other thermal attractions, it’s no mystery why this protected area is so revered.
Howard Ignatius/flickr
While many venture to Yellowstone during the summer, fewer are aware of the incredible activity that goes on during the winter.
Chris Mickey/flickr
And since this year is an exceptionally cold winter for the state of Wyoming, the geyser activity is nothing short of stunning.
Paolo G/flickr
Despite the biting cold, Old Faithful continues to erupt boiling hot water every 74 minutes (on average).
But, because of the freezing air around it, the hot water combined with the cold air forms a cloud. And then that cloud starts SNOWING.
That’s right. Old Faithful has been producing its very own snow clouds.The footage below captures this phenomenon at 0 degrees F, prime snow-cloud making weather it seems.
As you watch, notice how the snow clouds continue to rise, reaching heights of 180 feet in the air.
Jeremy Wheaton/flickr
Howard Ignatius/flickr
Chris Mickey/flickr
Paolo G/flickr
What did you think of the below footage? Isn’t it phenomenal? For anyone who’d like to see more of this activity, check out the Old Faithful Live Stream set up by the National Parks Service.
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