Don't be a drip in the drop out bucket

February 13, 2008 8:43 AM

Icicle Watching Filter: Drippers Vs. Streamers

Trapped in a Vermont weather mess. The plow hasn't come yet. Trapped at home, I'm reduced to watching the icicles outside the windows. Most drip, drip , drip, a drop a drop at a time. But there are 6 (out of over 100) icicles on the house that have thin stream of water coming off the bottom rather than a drip. There is no observable difference in appearance. What would make an icicle stream instead of drip?

posted by Xurando to science & nature (5 comments total)

Rayleigh Instability
posted by Comrade_robot at 8:45 AM on February 13, 2008

Also, if your roof in Vermont is anything like my roof in Vermont [my plow came, what is up with your guy?!] you may have parts of your roof where ice has melted somewhat -- heat from inside, sun, hot squirrel sitting on it -- and there's a small amount of water buildup that is trickling off your roof and using the icicle as a conduit. Also, of course, what Comrade_robot said.
posted by jessamyn at 8:50 AM on February 13, 2008

Dripping water volumes depend on the source. You will obviously have a greater volume of water coming off the V of the roof than in a random spot. BTW, icicles on the gutters are a sign that something is wrong. You might want to look at the problem and see if there is something you can do to get rid of the problem.
posted by JJ86 at 9:14 AM on February 13, 2008

off topic: if it's still below freezing, tie a thread to the end of the icicle and anchor directly below so the drips travel down the line, and it'll quickly form a solid column of ice from your eaves to the ground.
posted by duckstab at 9:33 AM on February 13, 2008

tie a thread to the end of the icicle and anchor directly below so the drips travel down the line, and it'll quickly form a solid column of ice from your eaves to the ground.

You must have some friendly winters: the icicles here get from the eaves (around 20') to about 5' above the ground before they snap under their own weight. I'm not encouraging the bastards.
posted by yerfatma at 11:32 AM on February 13, 2008