Pogonip (weather)
Pogonip is a type of fog consisting of ice crystals suspended in the air. The name "pogonip" is a Shoshone word meaning "white death". Pogonip only forms under the right conditions, the humidity has to be near 100% as the air temperature drops to below 0° C, allowing ice crystals to form in the air. The ice crystals will then settle onto surfaces.
The word pogonip was first coined by Native Americans to describe the very rarely occurring frozen fog composed of fine ice needles instead of water droplets that forms in the mountain valleys of the western United States during winter. Two reasons why it means White Death: 1. The pogonip fog is so thick you can't even see your hand. Go out in it and you'll be lost in seconds. If it lingers you'll die of starvation or exposure. 2. Breathing pogonip can damage your lungs thus the term "white death".[citation needed] In The Old Farmer's Almanac, in the calendar for December, the phrase "Beware the Pogonip" regularly appears.
References
 |
See also
 | This article about atmospheric science is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |