If You Throw a Cup of Boiling Water into Sub-Zero Air,
Will the Water Freeze Before Hitting the Ground?
Lake
Hubert resident Scott Hough decided to find out on the morning of January
2, 2010 when the air temperature was a nippy 31 degrees below zero. He
filled an insulated coffee mug with boiling water and threw it into the
frigid air. The photos below show the result.
(Photography by
Dan Lee)
Also
please note that Scott is outside, wearing short sleeves and no hat at
31 below zero. For those of you who have never experienced a northern Minnesota
winter, you can do this for short periods without harm as long as the air
is still - no wind. Don't try it with a breeze or you'll risk serious frost
bite.
As you can see, when the hot water hits the 31 below zero air the result is not ice or snow but instant cloud.