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Transport by Creep
Snow particles at rest on the ground may at a certain wind speed start to roll and slide along the surface. This initial motion is defined as creep. It is hard to distinguish between motions by creep and short saltation trajectories since the two transport modes are very much connected and particle motions appear in a rather chaotic manner.
The creep phenomenon is usually related to large particles, and drifts dominated by creeping snow may accumulate typically in wave patterns similar to sand drift. The amount of transport by creep may in some conditions be considerable and enough to fill a snow fence in hours (Tabler, 1988).
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