Is Pogonip a Real Word?

Definition: The word pogonip is a meteorological term used to describe an uncommon occurrence: frozen fog. The word was coined by Native Americans to describe the frozen fogs of fine ice needles that occur in the mountain valleys of the western United States in December.

What does the word pogonip mean?

: a dense winter fog containing frozen particles that is formed in deep mountain valleys of the western U.S.

What causes pogonip?

Some prerequisites for pogonip include a very low temperature that is below freezing point. ... As the humidity creates moisture and the temperature drops, ice crystals will form and settle in the air. Only then will the conditions be set for pogonip, more commonly understood as ice fog.