Experiencing the pink invasion: The Sierra Nevada's watermelon-scented snow phenomena
We know snow to be typically white and scentless. Except for the premiere snowfalls, it doesn't command much attention. However, in one particular location on Earth, the white fluff has taken on a new hue and gained an enticing aroma. Many say it smells like succulent watermelon! This has naturally led to people pondering whether it's edible.
3:13 AM EST, January 21, 2024
A field of pink snow with a watermelon scent
Winter air generally paints a picture of a white landscape around us. However, it's a slightly different scenario for California's Sierra Nevada mountain range. As the season draws to a close, a particular phenomenon occurs near the mountains that attracts many tourists. The snow covering the hills begins to turn... pink. Can you picture mountains draped in pink fluff? Spectacular. But that's not all; in addition to its eye-catching hue, the snow smells like sweet watermelon.
The pink hue can be traced back to the proliferation of microalgae, snow watermelon (chlamydomonas nivalis), that tints the snow. The pigment, coupled with UV rays, causes the pristine white ice crystals to change color, transforming them into a bona fide tourist attraction. When the weather transitions, the microorganisms can flourish at winter's end, with the damp fluff providing the perfect habitat. Those who experience pink snow for the first time can hardly believe it's a natural occurrence, and humans have nothing to do with it.
Pink snow or watermelon sorbet?
While it might look like someone has perpetrated a considerable prank, littering the mountains with tons of dyed snow, the reality is that pink snow is a natural marvel. What about its signature watermelon scent? That, too, is the outcome of chemical reactions between bacteria, algae, and the snow. You can witness this phenomenon only between the end of winter and the start of spring, when temperatures gradually rise but remain too low for the snow to melt entirely.
This phenomenon has also been spotted in Europe, the Alps, and Asia, primarily in the towering Himalayas. We would advise against the temptation to taste the snow despite its resemblance to watermelon sorbet. It's important to remember that it contains algae and bacteria that could cause severe digestive problems.
