Frost adds a new dimension in nature

Photo

Photo by: Robert K. Yosay

A rose, apparently not sure if it should bloom or succumb to the autumn cold, is painted with frost. Under clear frosty nights, soft ice crystals might form on vegetation or any object that has been chilled below the freezing point by radiation cooling. This deposit of ice crystals is known as hoar frost.

By Robert K. Yosay

yosay@vindy.com

While beau- tiful to see, the very mention of frost sends gardeners in both fall and spring scurrying for protective covering to keep plants safe from the cold.

Just what is frost, and what does it do?

There are two types of frost, advective and radiation.

Advective frost occurs when a cold front sweeps into an area, with typically gusty winds. It is rare for the first frost of the season.

The first frost typically is a radiation frost, which also is known as hoar frost. These occur under a clear sky and calm winds.