12 Things About Snow That You May Not Know

LET IT SNOW!    LET IT SNOW!   LET IT SNOW!

Surely the memory of snow during childhood is a universally pleasant one! I know, we all shoveled the driveway at least once and on one occasion we took turns climbing out the 2d story window to clear a path to the door of the house.  Snow days were a sort of magical time that felt as though time was suspended long enough for our enjoyment.  Snowball fights, building snowmen and sledding anywhere we could find some sloping land were all activities we kids could enjoy with each other. But being pulled on a sled on a completely horizontal by Daddy – well that is the very definition of a cherished event.  With all this in mind, then, here are some fun and interesting things about snow!

1. Snow is made of ice crystals (frozen liquid water) that fall from a cloud.
2. Snow is clear but reflected light makes it appear white.
3. Although it can be too warm to snow - it is never too cold to snow.
4. Reflection of ultraviolet radiation by snow can sunburn your cornea.
5. The most snow ever to fall in 24 hours occurred on March 5, 2015, in Capratta, Italy when 100.8 inches fell.
6. The most snow ever to fall in 1 year occurred between 1971 to 1972 when 102 feet fell on Mount Rainier, Washington.
7. It snows in Hawaii every year – at its highest volcano elevations.
8. Snow is classified as a mineral because it: 1. Is a naturally occurring solid, 2. Inorganically formed, and 3. Has a definite chemical composition.
9. The average snowflake falls at about 3mph.
10. Approximately 12% of earth’s land surface is covered in snow and ice.
11. The Guinness World Record for the tallest snowman ever built was 122 feet tall and was built in 2008 in Bethel, Maine.
12. Linguists generally agree that Inuits (Eskimos) have around 50 different words for snow; however, Scots have over 400!

“Snowflakes are one of nature‘s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together.” — Vesta M. Kelly