Well, we certainly got some snow this week! So, because of this I have decided to share some snow facts I have uncovered.
Did you know that snowflakes are actually clear and colorless? They have many tiny surfaces which reflect light, and the little bit of light that actually gets absorbed by the snowflake is what gives it its white appearance. Just think if snowflakes were to stay clear, how would you know how much fell, or where to shovel. Think how much darker the winter time would be without the snow reflecting the moonlight. And it certainly wouldn’t look so pretty outside when the heavy snow sticks and rests on all the empty tree branches.
Were you aware that there is a difference between a blizzard and a snowstorm? In order for a storm to be labeled a blizzard it must have the following 3 conditions:
1 – Visibility is such that you can’t see for ¼ mile (.6 Klm)
2 – The storm must last for at least 3 hours
3 – The winds must be at least 35 miles an hour (56 km an hour) or higher for those 3 hours. If you miss even one of these, it’s just a snowstorm, no problem!
Did you also know that 80% of all the freshwater on earth is frozen. This is either frozen as ice or snow. This amount also accounts for 12% of the earth’s surface.
All snowflakes have 6 sides; you will just have to take my word for this one as the explanation has all to do about chemistry and would take too much time to describe.
Snowflakes are made from water vapor that freezes (when the temp. is at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (or 0 degrees Celsius) as they form into crystals they are joined by other crystals, until they become too heavy and fall as snow. Each snowflake is made up of approximately 200 crystals. They also fall to the ground at about 3-4 mph (5 – 6.5 klm)
According to the Guinness book of world records, the largest snowflake ever found was in Fort Keogh, Montana on January 28, 1887. This flake measured 15 inches across and 8 inches thick. I have no idea how they could have measured this without it melting, but there you have it.
Well that’s about it for your snow facts. As a Montrealer, I do love the snow; it is so pretty, and fun to build things in. I don’t particularly like the driving sometimes, but we do what we need to do. So go out and observe this wonderful winter phenomena, you can’t stop it from coming, so you may as well appreciate and enjoy that wonderful thing we call snow!!!
Did you know that snowflakes are actually clear and colorless? They have many tiny surfaces which reflect light, and the little bit of light that actually gets absorbed by the snowflake is what gives it its white appearance. Just think if snowflakes were to stay clear, how would you know how much fell, or where to shovel. Think how much darker the winter time would be without the snow reflecting the moonlight. And it certainly wouldn’t look so pretty outside when the heavy snow sticks and rests on all the empty tree branches.
Were you aware that there is a difference between a blizzard and a snowstorm? In order for a storm to be labeled a blizzard it must have the following 3 conditions:
1 – Visibility is such that you can’t see for ¼ mile (.6 Klm)
2 – The storm must last for at least 3 hours
3 – The winds must be at least 35 miles an hour (56 km an hour) or higher for those 3 hours. If you miss even one of these, it’s just a snowstorm, no problem!
Did you also know that 80% of all the freshwater on earth is frozen. This is either frozen as ice or snow. This amount also accounts for 12% of the earth’s surface.
All snowflakes have 6 sides; you will just have to take my word for this one as the explanation has all to do about chemistry and would take too much time to describe.
Snowflakes are made from water vapor that freezes (when the temp. is at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (or 0 degrees Celsius) as they form into crystals they are joined by other crystals, until they become too heavy and fall as snow. Each snowflake is made up of approximately 200 crystals. They also fall to the ground at about 3-4 mph (5 – 6.5 klm)
According to the Guinness book of world records, the largest snowflake ever found was in Fort Keogh, Montana on January 28, 1887. This flake measured 15 inches across and 8 inches thick. I have no idea how they could have measured this without it melting, but there you have it.
Well that’s about it for your snow facts. As a Montrealer, I do love the snow; it is so pretty, and fun to build things in. I don’t particularly like the driving sometimes, but we do what we need to do. So go out and observe this wonderful winter phenomena, you can’t stop it from coming, so you may as well appreciate and enjoy that wonderful thing we call snow!!!
