Snow days and snow delays are common occurrences in New England. Whether in kindergarten or senior year, students of all ages enjoy the day off, but what causes this magical spectacle? Snowfall is such a rare and majestic occurrence because it requires a unique set of circumstances to fall. Snow occurs when water droplets freeze in the atmosphere and clouds before falling back to Earth. This differs from rain, which occurs above the freezing point of water (32°F), and from hail, which is a mix of snow and clear ice. Like the many personalities of society, each snowflake is unique in its shape and construction.
Types of Snow
According to Ski Junket, there are 14 types of snow. Beyond the typical sticky or fluffy snow, there are more niche genres of snow, including popcorn snow. Popcorn snow is made when water droplets attach to falling snowflakes that freeze to create a small ball. This is a nicer, less damaging cousin to actual hail, and it can make for pretty interesting-looking snow once it lands.
According to Popular Mechanics, “wet snow packs better than dry snow… the scientific reason is that melting snow can help to form “ice bridges” that join crystals together, while snow at very cold temperatures remain separate.” For this reason, many professional snowball fighters and snowmen makers prefer wet snow to hold their creations together.
But wet snow isn’t ideal for every situation, especially for winter sports. Alpine skiing and snowboarding require dry, powdery snow. According to New To Ski, “the minimum base of snow is around 20 inches of snow but ideally double that for the typical resort.” This is why ski mountains still use snow machines to pump snow during the winter season, as the natural snowfall may not suffice the minimum required.
Are Snow Days at Risk?
The COVID-19 pandemic introduced a way to have school online through virtual meetings, therefore eliminating the need for snow days. It doesn’t seem like snow days are completely at risk because if the blizzard is extremely hazardous, it would be expected that a few power and cable lines will come down and make virtual meetings impossible.
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