Weather Words: Frost Flowers

Frost flowers are some of the most beautiful winter phenomena that occur when conditions are just right for them to bloom.

Leslie Ratliff took these photos over her Thanksgiving holiday in Ridgetop, Tennessee.

Frost flowers occur when thin layers of ice squeeze out from the stem of the plant. The water in the stem of the plant expands as it freezes, causing the stem to crack. When the water creeps out it will freeze once in contact with the cold air. As more water is drawn out of the soil and into the stem it continues to freeze. The ice will curl into something that resembles an exotic white flower.

Frost flowers aren’t the only cool winter weather phenomena. Whether it’s pancake ice, snow rollers or hoar frost, here are other examples of 5 other winter weather phenomena to keep your eye out for.

Jennifer 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.