Know what is 'watermelon snow' | This natural phenomenon is making mountains pink and … – WION

A tinge of red and pink hue has been observed in the snow by the people residing in Utah, which in turn is making the mountains appear colourful. This natural phenomenon, which is making the mountains look pretty has been nicknamed “watermelon snow”. What is watermelon snow? According to experts, this natural phenomenon occurs normally across all mountainous locations in the world. One may feel that the colour of snow is actually changing, however, the colourful hue is a result of the green algae bloom which thrives in cold, snowy environments, as per Scott Hotaling, an assistant professor at Utah State University’s watershed sciences department. ALSO READ | Bamboo could be a game changer in renewable energy. Here’s how The species of algae which is making Utah’s snow colourful is called Chlamydomonas nivalis. Hotaling said that although the snow appears red in Utah, which is the most common colour that appears in the phenomenon, there are different types of algae which live on snow and ice and can turn the usually white frozen precipitation into various types of colours like purple, green and orange. “(The algae is) normally in this kind of dormant cyst form, and when there’s enough meltwater in
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