Look for different types of snow to build a snowman

_Elsa_

Kimmy is really excited to be learning all of this. She can’t wait to share it with Tiffi. She continues her search.

‘When it comes in great quantity, it’s easy to assume it is all the same. But if you look at each individual snowflake, they are often very different. Snowflakes come in many different shapes, sizes, and sometimes, unfortunately, colors. The temperature plays a big role in what type of snowflake we see.

When it is colder, snow tends to be lighter and crystal-like. When it is warmer outside, snow tends to clump together and becomes heavier and wetter. 

Heavier and wetter snow is also stickier, making it perfect for snowballs and building a snowman. The stickier component comes from a higher water content of the snow, which comes when temperatures are closer to 32 degrees.’ (Source) 

Do different snowflakes make for different kinds of snow (and which is best for a snowball fight)?

Once snowflakes hit the ground (provided they don’t melt straight away), they form a layer of snow. And, you’ve guessed it , not all layers are the same. The shape of the flakes affects the depth of the snow as dendrites don't pack together as well as plates.

• Powder is the type of snow favoured for skiing and sledging. It is soft, moves around easily and doesn’t hurt too much if you fall into it. It forms when flakes formed of dendrites fall on frozen ground.

• Granular snow is best for making for making snowmen and snowballs. It happens when the flakes that fall are covered with frozen water droplets. Wetter and more dense than powder, this is also the kind that can disrupt road and rail if there’s too much of it.

• Crust is where the top layer of snow is completely frozen. The air warms up this layer, melting it, then refreezes it as the temperature drops.

• Slush is something we've all walked through with cold toes. It happens when the ground is warm and melts the snow as it lands or the snow that falls is slightly above freezing, so it's already melting before it hits the ground.

And if you’ve ever wondered why snow is white, that’s the light you’re seeing reflected by the plates and dendrites. Snowflakes are actually transparent. ‘ (Source) 

Let’s continue – Let’s go out and play!

Start at the beginning – Let It snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!