Watermelon snow has turned Utah's snow mountains pink
There is an interesting phenomenon when watermelon snow has turned the Utah Snow Mountains pink.
Snow mountains in the Utah region turn red, pink, and orange due to what experts say is a phenomenon called "watermelon snow."
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| Snow in parts of Utah has appeared red in a phenomenon nicknamed "watermelon snow." - KSTU |
Visitors to the Cache County mountains take photos showing an unusual hue in the remaining snow.
The cause is the blooming green algae, Chlamydomonas nivalis
Scientists say it is a natural phenomenon caused by the blooming green algae, Chlamydomonas nivalis, which is found in mountains around the world.
"Snow algae produce pigments that darken their cells, and act as protection against UV, thus protecting their DNA and other aspects of their organelles from damage because they are in very bright places," Hotaling told KTVX-TV.
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"But algae have the secondary benefit of causing their cells to absorb heat that melts the snow around them allowing them to access water because, you know, we're in a water world right now but there's nothing accessible."
Scientists said earlier this year that the amount of algae found in the western United States could be contributing to drought conditions.
"There's a lot of evidence now to suggest that these algae contributed quite significantly to the overall melting of snowpack around the West," said Scott Hotaling, a professor in the Department of Watershed Science at Utah State University.
Hopefully the information about "watermelon snow has turned the Utah Snow Mountains pink" has attracted your attention to observe the phenomenon.