| Term: | Ice prisms |
| Definition: |
A fall of unbranched ice crystals, in the form of needles, columns, or plates, often so tiny that they seem to be suspended in the air; these are visible mainly when they glitter in the sunshine (diamond dust); they may then produce a luminous pillar or other halo phenomena; this hydrometeor, which is frequent in polar regions, occurs at very low temperatures and in stable air masses. NSIDCCryosphere
Unbranched prismatic ice crystals, in the form of needles, columns or plates, often so tiny that they seem to be suspended in the air. These crystals may fall from a cloud or from a cloudless sky. WMOMeteoterm Ice crystals having well defined crystalline facets, usually on both basal planes and on prism planes. AMSglossary A fall of unbranched ice crystals, in the form of needles, columns or plates, often so tiny that they seem to be suspended in the air. These crystals may fall from a cloud or from a cloudless sky. They are visible mainly when they glitter in the sunshine (diamond dust); they may then produce a luminous pillar or other halo phenomena. This hydrometeor, which is frequent in polar regions, occurs at very low temperatures and in stable air masses. SPRI GCW |