NPR's Ayesha Rascoe asks Western Washington University environmental science professor Robin Kodner about algea that is turning snow pink at high altitudes.

What appears to be "pink snow" is actually a form of algae, a natural phenomenon that plays a role in an entire snow ecosystem. To stream KING 5 on your phone, you need the KING 5 app. Download ...

Watermelon snow is more common during the late spring and summer months and has been found on all continents. It can look like pink or red shaved ice, but this is no snow cone and don’t even ...

But pink snow is causing other problems. The natural whiteness of snow reflects the sun, but a darker algae bloom on the surface is absorbing more solar radiation, and accelerating snow melt.

The sample kits have been designed to be lightweight and easy to use. Alpine explorers who see any pink snow in the mountains during their trip can take a sample in 5-10 minutes using one of the kits.

Patches of snow in Utah's mountains have turned pink. And while the so-called "watermelon snow" spotted on Tony Grove Lake may look pretty, it could indicate bad news for the environment.

Patches of snow in Utah's mountains have turned pink. And while the so-called "watermelon snow" spotted on Tony Grove Lake may look pretty, it could indicate bad news for the environment.

Jana Brough gathers pink-hued snow in her hand at Tony Grove Lake near Logan, Utah on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. Rick Bowmer/AP.