The dance of the "snow devil" was observed in the state of Montana

Unusual snow tornado observed in the US state of Montana, reports Yahoo News.

Eyewitnesses managed to capture the dance of the "snow devil" on a snow-covered slope on video. Matt Eichelberger, who shot the footage, told Storyful that his encounter with the weather phenomenon occurred on March 16 during a trip to Big Sky, Montana.

According to the Geography Realm, snow tornadoes occur under certain weather conditions, when sharp gusts of wind whip up dry snow, forming a vortex.

The movement of a band of cold air over a warmer surface can create an ideal environment for a snow tornado. The air rising from the surface penetrates the cold layer, creating an updraft that can rotate. The rotation raises the dry snow, creating a "snow devil".

Sufficient surface heating in snow-covered areas causes snow to become wet and heavy, which is why snow tornadoes are so rare.