Residents in rural Nebraska are well acquainted with winter snow thanks to sub-zero temperatures but new information shows that at least some of the recent snowflakes are factory-produced.
The National Weather Service pinpointed the source of the unusual snowfall on Monday: two industrial power plants on the outskirts of Norfolk, Nebraska.
The man-made whiteout that lasted over 24 hours and created up to five centimeters (two inches) of snow in some parts.
More specifically, a steel manufacturing plant and an ethanol processing facility are believed to be responsible for the miniature, localized ‘industrial snow’ storms.
Clouds of steam and exhaust fumes emitted by the industries condense into crystals that form essentially man-made snowflakes. No, not that kind of snowflake.
“What’s causing the snow to develop today is the addition of moisture… The atmosphere is currently at the perfect temperature for snow product,” Brian Barjenbruch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service told Motherboard.
“I think we’re looking at pretty basic snowflakes,” he added, rather disparagingly.
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