Strange pink snow in the Italian Alps might be a red flag - CNET

Pink Snow as seen in the Presena glacier.

Miguel Medina/Getty Images

Pink snow, also called "watermelon snow," has appeared at the Presena glacier in northern Italy, according to researcher Biagio Di Mauro of the Institute of Polar Sciences at Italy's National Research Council. While it's not uncommon for the Italian alps to be "pretty in pink" in spring and summer, scientists become cautious when the phenomenon, which is caused by algae, starts happening more frequently. 

Di Mauro told CNN that 2020's lack of snowfall and higher temperatures have nurtured the algae's growth. More algae could lead to ice melting faster.

When Di Mauro tweeted clarification for an article from The Guardian, he said the algae was probably Chlamydomonas nivalis, a snow algae. He also said the algae's relationship with climate change hasn't been proven yet. 

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Di Mauro tweeted photos of the pink snow on Monday.

Across the ocean, in late May, Antarctica reported green snow, caused by microscopic algae. Though microscopic, the green blooms could be spotted by satellites. The color might also have connections with the impact of warming climates, researchers said.

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