The Coolest Snow Facts

Snow is definitely cold, but did you know it's also cool? There are probably a few things about snow you didn't know - find out more on Kidzworld!

The White Stuff

• Despite what you might think, snow is actually colorless, not white.
• 80% of all water on earth is frozen as ice or snow, and it accounts for 12% of the earth's surface.
• Deep snow sometimes appears blue - this is because layers of snow create a filter for the light, with more red light being absorbed than blue.
• Snow can be pink! Well not actually pink, but in high alpine areas there is a fresh water red algae that can tint it pink. 

• An igloo can be 100 degrees warmer inside than out, its mostly body heat, and as any hibernating animal can tell you, packed snow can be a great insulator - think of how bears survive in the winter.
• The largest snowball fight took place in Seattle in 2013, 5,834 snowball fighters came together to break the record on January 13th.
• North Dakota holds the record for the most snow angels made in one place, 8,962 dropped to the ground to wave their arms and legs around in 2007.

Snowflakes

• The World's Largest Snowflake was 15 inches across and 8 inches thick, it fell (with a thud!) in Montana in 1887.
• All snowflakes have six sides.
• You've heard that no two snowflakes are the same - but it isn't true! In 1988 a scientist discovered two identical flakes.

• In 1921 Silver Lake, Colorado had the most snow ever recorded - 76 inches in 24 hours.
• Snowflakes can be different shapes - some are shaped like an hourglass or a spool of thread.
• An inch of rain can create ten inches of snow because snow is so fluffy.
• In Antarctica they have snow formations called megadunes, made from gigantic snow crystals that span .75 inches across.

Snowstorms

• Do you know the difference between a blizzard and a snowstorm? For a snowstorm to officially be called a blizzard, you have to be able to not see past a 1/4 of a mile, and it has to be ongoing for 3 hours or more - this happens when winds reach 35 mph.
• There are 105 snowstorms a year in the US.

Have Your Say

What do you like most about snow? Let us know in the comments section below!