(WFRV) – Almost every winter this classic cold weather experiment starts to circulate the internet.
It’s simple, all you need is boiling water and a frigid air mass in place. This experiment was conducted with an outside temperature of -8 degrees and a dew point of -19 degrees. Take a cup or pan full of boiling water and toss it into the air.
Tips: If you are using anything bigger than a cup, remember not all of the hot boiling water will evaporate. Keep in mind the wind direction, so no one gets a face-full of boiling hot water.
Explanation
The boiling water is not freezing in the middle of the air and turning into snow. In fact, the water is rapidly evaporating allowing a cloud to immediately condense and form. It’s similar to why you can see your breath when temperatures are colder outside.
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The reason why this happens is boiling water is closer to evaporating than cold water. Therefore, in a very dry and cold air mass, a dramatic cloud forms from the boiling water before hits the ground. With temperatures and dew points below 0 degrees, this experiment will work the best.
