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Rime Ice Coats Minnesota Trees, Turning Parks Into Winter Wonderland

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- You've probably noticed the long stretches of overcast days in Minnesota, but that dense fog is turning Minnesota into a winter wonderland.

Rime ice is meticulously covering the trees and branches all over the state. This kind of ice is only formed in fog.

"So that's why we get all this frostiness on the trees huh? I guess I never really thought about that," said Susan Wehrenberg.

She was out walking Lebanon Hills Regional Park with her husband Steve on Friday afternoon.

"It's like a crew cut, a frosted crew cut. It's beautiful," said Wehrenberg.

The Rime ice is very thick and noticeable in the Eagan area, making for some beautiful winter walks right now.

"This ice on there, it's just amazing, you don't get to see it that often," said Deb Mason, who walks Lebanon Hills every day on her lunch break. "It's just beautiful, it's so peaceful," said Mason.

The Rime ice gives Mason a reason to take notice of the glitter among the gloom.

"There's beauty in every day. You just have to keep your eyes open and look for it," said Mason.

There's a chance you can see frost and small ice formations on sunny days as well. That's a different type of formation called Hoar frost, which can only be formed when the skies are perfectly clear.

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