Boiling Water Freezes Midair in Alberta's Extreme Cold

When temperatures in Red Deer, Alberta, plummeted as low as -40 F on January 14, science maniac Jason Zackowski took the opportunity to illustrate a fascinating and beautiful phenomenon – boiling water freezing in midair.

Zackowski explained the principle illustrated in the video by telling Storyful, “cold air cannot hold water vapor, so when water is thrown into the air, the surface area expands. Tiny particles in the air already cling to the boiling water droplets and rapidly freeze them in a beautiful and amazing show!”

Zackowski recorded a video of what he calls ‘frozen fireworks,’ wherein one of his pals takes a pitcher filled with red-colored boiling water and hurls it above his head against a snowy background.

The water instantly turns into steam, creating a similar visual to fireworks, with white streaks filling the sky as the steam descends through the freezing air just above Zackowski’s pal.

The subzero temperatures sweeping across Alberta seem to be no problem for Zackowski and his fellow Canadians, with many of them enjoying the outdoor activities winter has to offer. Credit: Jason Zackowski via Storyful