Video captures rare 'snownado' vortex amid heavy snowfall in Utah
A video taken in Utah over the weekend captured a rare, mesmerizing weather occurrence known as a "snownado."
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and The Weather Channel, a "snownado," also known as a "snow devil," occurs when surface winds blow in different directions, also known as a wind shear.
When the winds come together to create a swirling vortex over a covering of snow, it picks the flakes up off the ground, creating a whirling column of the cold stuff.
The WMO calls the phenomenon – which is akin to the "dust devils" of hotter, drier climates – "very rare."
Benjamin Gross, who captured the footage, told newswire service Storyful that he was walking his three dogs near Park City on Sunday when he noticed the devil forming and quickly reached for his phone camera.
The snowy scene was recorded after about five inches of snow fell in Park City between Saturday and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.