Weather Wise Wednesday: Snow

A snow crystal starts as a particle of ice that grows and changes shape as it falls through different temperatures. A great chart that shows their growth can be found here. Snow and ice are different forms, as snow starts from a cloud, while sleet freezes as it falls. Snowflakes generally have 6 arms and each one is known for being distinctly unique in shape. Most snowflakes are less than ½” across.

Snow is considered a good insulator because air is trapped between the snow flakes, causing a natural insulation due to the lessened ability of heat to move.

An interesting fact is that lightning and thunder can be associated with snow, though it’s not a common site. This information was found here.

Rochester, New York is considered the to be the large city that averages more snow than other large cities. They average 94 inches of snow a year! That information comes from the National Weather Service records. For a snowfall chart on different cities across the US, go here.

“The greatest snowfall officially reported at the Phoenix, Arizona National Weather Service Office was one inch. That occurred twice. The first time was January 20, 1933. It happened again four years later on the same date.”

Quoted from All About Snow