TikTok users spread conspiracy that Texas snow was manufactured by the government

Viral videos by TikTok users purportedly in Texas have falsely claimed that the snow from the deadly winter storm that hit the state this month is fake and was created by the U.S. government.

The clips on the popular video platform show users holding up a lighter, match or hairdryer to snow, which in some videos appears to burn or get smaller without dripping any water, Business Insider reported.

Some TikTok users have used the phrase “government snow” to describe the phenomenon. The hashtag #governmentsnow had more than a million views on TikTok as of Monday.

Multiple reports noted that there is an explanation for the phenomenon. Through a process known as sublimation, the solid snow turns directly into a gas from the heat instead of a liquid dripping off of the snowball. 

This is not the first time a false claim about snowstorms or snow accumulation in the U.S. has spread on social media. The conspiracy theory also went viral in 2014, according to multiple reports.

Major winter storms swept across the U.S. last week. In Texas, millions were without power and water during and following the storms, and more than two dozen people in the state died due to the freezing temperatures. 

President Biden granted an emergency disaster declaration to Texas over the weekend, granting the state assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.