Ice Flowers in Nizhny Novgorod: Phenomenon and Conditions
A photographer in Nizhny Novgorod has documented ice flowers, a rare natural formation, in the city's Sovetsky district during severe frosts.
Feb 8, 2026 0
Ice flowers photographed in Nizhny Novgorod
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In Nizhny Novgorod during severe frosts, a unique phenomenon — ice flowers — was observed. A photographer discovered a whole «meadow» of these formations in the Sovetsky district.
The process of ice flower formation on a thin ice surface
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Experts explain that ice flowers appear on very thin ice surfaces. Their petals are ice plates with veins resembling leaves.
Windless weather is a mandatory condition for ice flowers to appear
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The following conditions are necessary for the formation of these crystals:
- air temperature below -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit);
- absolutely windless weather.
Under such conditions, a layer supersaturated with moisture forms at the surface of the thin ice. Water droplets rapidly crystallize and settle on the ice.
The phenomenon develops extremely quickly. In a matter of seconds, the length of a petal can reach 10 centimeters (about 4 inches).
Just as rapidly, the flowers disappear when the weather changes or the ice layer thickens.
Ice patterns on window panes are another amazing creation of the frost. When cold weather arrived in the region, elegant lace-like drawings appeared on house windows.
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