Hoarfrost: The Frost That’s In A League Of Its Own Spotted Near Flagstaff, Arizona

Frost Flowers And Other Neat Winter Phenomena

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When morning frost tries to flex its muscles, you might end up with what’s called hoarfrost. Of course, the right conditions have to be present, but it forms like ordinary frost – then gets a little carried away.

For hoarfrost to form, temperatures have to be below freezing and moisture must be present.

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This photo above was taken in Bellemont, Arizona, and posted on X (formerly Twitter) by the National Weather Service's Flagstaff office (which is located in Bellemont). It shows hoarfrost that developed on the trees Thursday morning in the area.

(MORE: 'Frost Flowers' And 5 Other Interesting Phenomena Our Meteorologists Watch For In Winter)​

Hoarfrost makes use of the moisture in the atmosphere to grow and interlock, making for a dramatic frost sculpture on anything solid like trees, fences and even power lines. However, it is lightweight so it usually doesn’t cause any damage and can be wiped away or cleared quickly.

The perfect conditions for hoarfrost to develop are when temperatures and the dew point are below freezing, allowing for the water vapor in the atmosphere to go straight from a gas to a solid, creating those white, interlocking patterns of frost. If there is wind present, it will form downwind on objects, making for an awe-inspiring scene.

J​ennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for weather.com. She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.