Snow Rollers

 Those of you in the Midwest may be witnessing the peculiar "snow roller." These look like snowballs that are sitting up on the mounds of snow. These are a very rare occurrence that require specific weather conditions to form. These conditions, at least in the Midwest, were recently present during the recent deep freeze. First, the ground must be covered in ice so that the snow on top does not stick to it. Above the ice must be a loose, wet snow. The snow rollers themselves are caused by the wind. Wind speeds must be strong enough to roll the snow into a ball but not so strong that the snow roller blows apart. A close look at snow rollers reveals that the center either has a hole, like a doughnut, or an indentation from the wind.