[Click here to return to the page you came from!]
Surface Hoar
Also: Hoarfrost, Hoar Crystals
Ice crystals formed when water vapor from the atmosphere condenses directly into the solid phase onto a very cold surface. The process is the equivalent of dew. These crystals generally form during cold and clear conditions, particularly at night.
Surface Hoar crystals (or just Hoar Crystals) grow in flat plates, and once they are buried they have very little strength. They also collapse into a very thin layer which can be difficult to identify and/or assess the strength of.
This glossary is a work in progress and is made possible by AlpenPro.
