Facts about Snow and Winter Records:
What is Snow?
Snowflakes are ice crystals that have six sides, known as a hexagonal crystal structure. Snow comes from water vapor, condensing onto dust particles in the air. The ice crystals grow within the cloud, developing their six arms. Much research has been done on snowflake structure, by growing snow crystals in labs. When ice crystals join together they form snowflakes, becoming larger as more ice crystals join.
Snow forms in six basic shapes:
• columns
• needles
• plates
• dendrites
• columns with plates
• irregular
Many people refer to snow as being white but actually snow is made up of ice crystals, looking more like clear glass. As snowflakes pile up, the light is reflected and the colors are scattered, making the snow appear white.
The Benefits of Snow:
Layers of snow accumulated on the ground will actually act like a layer of insulation. Snow can keep plants insulated from the detrimental sub-zero freezing temperatures. Skiers and adventures lost in the winter can survive by making a snow cave, providing shelter from the colder air and wind. The temperature within the snow cave can provide refuge from winter’s chill. Snowfall accumulation is also important in the West to water supply, providing up to 75 percent of the year round surface water supply
Snow Records and Statistics:
- New York City is the largest city with the most snow annually, averaging over 94 inches a year, according to the National Weather Service, recording data for the city from 1961-1990.
- The most snowfall in one day happened in 1913, in Georgetown, Colorado when a record 63 inches fell in a 24 hour span.
- The greatest snowfall in Phoenix, Arizona happened in 1933 producing a grand 1 inch!
- Mount Baker in Washington state, holds the world record for the most snow in one year, a reported 1,140 inches accumulated in 1998.
- Almost every location in the U.S. has seen snowfall even Hawaii and Florida, as air temperatures drop below freezing. The National Snow and Ice Data Center collects data and monitors statistics on snow and ice around the United States.
Skiers have created their own snow terminology over the years to describe snow. They have derived descriptive words such as “powder” “sticky” “fluffy” “champagne powder” and “mashed potatoes”. The favorite snow condition can easily be identified as “powder” or fresh, new, natural snow, untouched by skiers.
The Snowflake Man:
Wilson A. Bentley (1865 - 1931), known as “The Snowflake Man”, analyzed and photographed snowflakes under a microscope in the 1920s. He commented that “no two snowflakes are alike” yet has been proven wrong in recent years as two identical snowflakes have been captured. He adapted a microscope to his camera, becoming the first man to capture one snow crystal on film.
In his time, Snowflake Bentley captured more than 5,000 snowflakes on film. His 1931 book, "Snow Crystals", now out of print, displayed his images of snow crystals. His photographs have been digitality archived, available online. These snow crystal photographs are not copyrighted, free to be used and viewed by anyone.
Amazing Snow and Ice Facts:
- The largest piece of ice to fall to earth was an ice block 6 meters (20 ft) across that fell in Scotland on 13 August 1849.
- The largest hailstone recorded fell on 14 April 1986 in Bangladesh weighing 1kg (2.25lbs). The hailstorm reportedly killed 92 people.
- The largest snowflakes in the world fell across Fort Keogh in Montana (USA) on 28 January 1887.
- Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the only permanent snowcap within sight of the equator.
- Permanent snow and ice cover about 12% (21 million square km's) of the Earth's land surface. 80% of the world's fresh water is locked up as ice or snow.
- A single snowstorm can drop 40 million tons of snow, carrying the energy equivalent to 120 atom bombs.
- There is NOT a law of nature that prohibits 2 snowflakes from being identical.
- Denver CO received 9.6 inches of snow. October of that year proved to be the coldest and snowiest of record for Denver, with a total snowfall for the month of 31.2 inches.
- Light snow falls in Canberra during most years, but it rarely accumulates to more than a few centimeters.
- In Australia, snowfalls are common above 1,500m in the Alps during the winter, but there are no permanent snowfields anywhere on the continent.
- Denver CO was buried under 21.3 inches of snow, 19.4 inches of which fell in 24 hours. The heavy wet snow snapped trees and wires causing seven million dollars damage.
- Parts of Michigan and Wisconsin experienced their first freeze of the autumn. Snow and sleet were reported in the Sheffield and Sutton areas of northeastern Vermont at midday.
- The most snow produced in a single snowstorm is 4.8 meters (15.75ft) at Mt Shasta Ski Bowl, California (USA) between 13 and 19 February 1959.
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