Bear Laker's
Bryce Neilson |
Winter has arrived at Bear Lake. So far my predictions of above average snow
made by observing the number of pine squirrel invading my yard is holding
true. I am just relieved that I don't
need to hear about drought and climate changes when the news stations have
nothing else to report on.
Mist On The Lake |
Winter in Bear Lake has a number of characteristics that
don't change from year to year. The fog
is the most prominent one. Now a quick
lesson in thermodynamics. As the surface
water temperature on the lake is warmer than the air temperature condensation
starts to occur. Lots of people will say
"the lake is steaming" which is incorrect. Vaporization occurs when a liquid is heated
to its boiling point at which time the liquid turns into a gas. Condensation is when a gas turns to a liquid
by cooling. On a cold winter morning, evaporation is occurring on the lake as long
as it is liquid. Evaporation is when a
water surface turns from a liquid, directly to a gas. Another unique characteristic of water. The water from evaporation is turned into a
liquid from gas by the cold air. These
little droplets or ice crystals form the fog we see.
We will see this cycle occur frequently as the winter
progresses and the lake approaches freezing.
Depending on the day, wind and temperature the whole Valley will be
filled with "cotton" as you look at it from the over look. Some days, the fog will hang over the valley,
drift to the valley floor during the night and when it lifts in the morning
everything is covered with hoarfrost.
Hoarfrost occurs when condensation (when the lake is evaporating and
cooling) freezes to solid items whose temperature are below the dew point. That is why when we have these spectacular
mornings with hoarfrost on everything you can actually determine which
materials hold heat better. Dark limbs
have less than light colored limbs and so on.
Fog on the Lake Photo by Bryce Neilson |
You get to experience a lot of things living next to a large
temperate lake. Luckily water is such a
unique matter and a more extensive education in physics and thermodynamics will
help you understand why or just read RCT.
I hope you look a fog and winter days differently now.
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