Watermelon Snow

  For He saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; Job 37:6

"Algae can turn fallen snow different colors including green, brown, and even pink. “Watermelon snow” is pink because of ice-loving

algae (Chlamydomonas nivalis) that blooms when the sun heats up, turning the snow a rosy hue. Watermelon snow comes in shades of red and green, like a watermelon. 

Often, this snow even has a sweet, fruity scent. Any of a number of types of algae and cyanobacteria produce watermelon snow, including Chlamydomonas nivalis, Chlamydomonas alpina, Mesotaenium bregrenii, and Chlorooceae cyanobacterium. 

This type of snow is common in alpine and polar regions worldwide, where it may also be called blood snow or pink snow. The green color comes from chlorophyll, while the red hue comes from astaxanthin, a carotenoid pigment that also colors flamingos, crabs, and salmon that feed on algae. 

Watermelon snow has ecological importance, as it 

--acts as a food source for many organisms 

--and affects the rate of snow melt. 

The melted water is a water supply not just for the algae, but also for animals in winter." 

AIG