9 Interesting Facts About Snow:

SnowBrains | | BrainsBrains
snow
Does snow look like this? Looks dangerous…

Snow has long proven to be like an addictive drug to many of us.  We’re essentially ‘snow users.’  We spend lots of money to acquire it, we travel long distances to be with it, we shamelessly indulge in it, and many of us are clearly addicted to it.  Given all the snow attributes we share, we should know a little bit more about the stuff.

9 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT SNOW:

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#1 = World’s Largest Snowflake

This is NOT a snowflake...'cmohas it ause
This is NOT a snowflake…’cause it has more than 6 sides.

The world’s largest snowflake was reported to be 15 inches across and 8 inches thick.  The Guinness Book of World Records states that this giant snowflake was found at Fort Keogh, Montana on January 28, 1887.

#2 = Snow is Not White

snow
Snowflake close-up.

Snow is actually clear and colorless.

“The complex structure of snow crystals results in countless tiny surfaces from which visible light is efficiently reflected. What little sunlight is absorbed by snow is absorbed uniformly over the wavelengths of visible light thus giving snow its white appearance.” – National Snow and Ice Data Center

#3 = 100” in 24 Hours

Nearby Pescocostanzo received 95 inches of snow. photo: Francesco Mammola
Nearby Pescocostanzo received 95 inches in 24 hours. photo: Francesco Mammola

The town of Capracotta in Southern Italy is reporting that they received 100 inches of snowfall in 18 hours on March 5th, 2015.  

What’s crazy is that Capracotta, Italy isn’t even in the Alps – it’s in Southern Italy.  The town sits at only 4,662-feet and has been known to receive enormous one-day snowfalls.  The town is home to about 1,000 residents.

#4 = World Record Snowfall

Mt Baker ski resort sidecountry and Mt. Baker
Mt Baker ski resort sidecountry and Mt. Baker

Mt. Baker ski area in Washington State has the world record for snowfall at 1,140 inches of snow in the 1998/1999 winter season.  Mt. Baker ski area is located near but not on the real 10,781’ Mount Baker.  You can just imagine what the snow totals were on the real Mount Baker that year…

#5 = Earth’s Fresh Water is Frozen

The Earth used to have a helluva lotta more ice than it does now...
The Earth used to have a helluva lotta more ice than it does now…

80% of all the freshwater on earth is frozen as ice or snow.  This accounts for 12% of the earth’s surface.

#6 = What is a Blizzard?

Blizzard visability, snow
Blizzard visibility

A blizzard occurs when you can’t see for 1/4 mile. The winds are always 35 miles an hour or more.  The storm must last at least 3 hours to be classed as a blizzard. If any of these conditions are less, it is only a snowstorm.

#7 = 105 Snow Storms per Year in the USA

Blizzard of January 1922, snow
Blizzard of January 1922, Washington D.C.

The USA averages 105 snow producing storms per year.  A typical storm will have a 2-5 day lifetime and drop snow in multiple states.  This is annoying as we’d prefer it was 305 per year and lifetimes of a week or more.

#8 = Eskimos Have 100 Words for Snow

Eskimo woman and baby
Eskimo woman and baby

This simply isn’t true.  It’s a myth.

“In fact, the Eskimo–Aleut languages have about the same number of distinct word roots referring to snow as English does, but the structure of these languages tends to allow more variety as to how those roots can be modified in forming a single word” – wikipedia

#9 = 6 Sides or Bust

A water molecule and its vicious V
A water molecule and its vicious V

All snowflakes have 6 sides.  Period.  The reasoning behind this gets techy, but it’s cool:

“The oxygen atom has a particularly strong attraction to the electron clouds of the two hydrogen atoms and pulls them closer. This leaves the two hydrogen ends more positively charged, and the center of the “V” more negatively charged. When other water molecules “brush up” against this growing snowflake, strong forces between the negatively charged and positively charged parts of different particles cause them to join together in a very specific three-dimensional pattern with a six-sided symmetry. Each water molecule that joins the snowflake reflects this pattern until eventually we can see its macroscopic six-sided shape.” – Learner.org

Posted by SnowBrains |

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126 thoughts on “9 Interesting Facts About Snow:”

      1. All snowflakes are six-sided but they vary in their side’s designs. The patterns are what make them different from each other.

        Reply

        1. It’s actually a myth that all snowflakes are different. in 1988, in Wisconsin, a scientist found two identical flakes.

          Reply

          1. …to the molecular level? Don’t think so. By appearance, maybe; but not truly identical. Apparently, 97% of scientists can’t be trusted to know anything factually related to meteorology, anyway.

  9. Snow ain’t white?!

    Eskimos don’t got a hunnerd words for snow?!

    What’s next?

    Rain ain’t wet?

    The Easter Bunny wears Army boots?

    Is nothing sacred?

    Reply

  11. I am from Florida, and have experienced snow a number of times but realized that I can not recall ever having seen a snowflake. What led me to this site was my trying to figure out what the average size of a snowflake is. I have kind of always assumed them to be like 3inches in diameter, like the decorative ones, but I now realize that is incorrect. So anyway, I was wondering if someone could fill me in on the actual size of an average snowflake?, please and thank you. =)

    Reply

  13. This year is so special to me because It’s my first time to experience snow and a white christmas… I’ve read a book before that says “each snowflakes is unique” i was so amazed so as the snow flakes are falling i want to catch each one to prove in my own eyes each one is unique. But this morning i saw on my glass roof window the snowflakes was amazing arrange….indeed each one is unique!

    Reply

  20. This year is so special to me because It’s my first time to experience snow and a white christmas… I’ve read a book before that says “each snowflakes is unique” i was so amazed so as the snow flakes are falling i want to catch each one to prove in my own eyes each one is unique. But this morning i saw on my glass roof window the snowflakes was amazing arrange….indeed each one is unique!

    Reply

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  54. I hate driving in the snow, although I do like to see it fall out of the sky. My dad hates snow’s guts and when I have to buy a calendar I buy one without winter scenes!

    Reply

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