(by Claire Adams)

While New Hampshire winters and snow used to be synonymous, climate change has made that much less predictable. Fortunately, this winter has brought a significant amount of snow, particularly in the last couple of weeks. Many of us in northern New England relish the sight of a fluffy white blanket coating the ground, making the otherwise gray and brown winter landscape into a beautiful spectacle.

Many of us enjoy snow sports, like skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing, during these weather conditions. Another way to get outside and enjoy the snow during the winter is by making close observations of the snowflakes themselves. We are familiar with the phrase “no two snowflakes are alike,” but how often do we take the time to actually see if that is true?

The reason all snowflakes are unique is because of how they are formed. Way up in the atmosphere, specks of dirt, dust, ash, etc., float around with condensed water droplets. Those tiny water droplets attach to a speck and freeze into an ice ball. This is the foundation of a snowflake, or snow crystal. Since that ice ball is heavier than the original speck, it begins to fall, and that process of falling is what forms the snowflake. The snowflake shape and size are determined by the humidity, temperature, and how far it falls to the ground, as demonstrated in Fig. 1. Since conditions are never exactly the same, every snowflake will look slightly different.

The following steps outline my favorite way to observe snow up close:

1. With a small square of cardboard (about 3 in. X 3 in., colored black with a permanent marker or paint) or half sheet of laminated black construction paper, pick up a small amount of snow (about a couple of tablespoons) and place it on the black surface.
   1. *Tip: leave your cardboard or paper outside to acclimate to the temperature before collecting and observing snowflakes. This will prevent them from melting as quickly.
2. Take a hand lens or magnifying glass and place it very close to the surface of the snow without touching it. Next, slowly back it away until the individual snow crystals come into focus.
   1. *Tip: make sure you are not in direct sunlight, or your snowflakes will melt!
3. Use the “Types of Snowflakes” chart (below) to compare shapes and sizes. Can you identify any of the shapes listed?
   1. *Tip: compare freshly falling/fallen snow with snow that has been on the ground a few days or weeks.
4. Record your observations in a nature journal, drawings, or photographs.

We hope this inspires you to go outside and explore the snow this winter!

Looking to learn more about snow? Check out these resources:

• The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder by Mark Cassino and Jon Nelson (Ph.D.)
• The Secret Life of a Snowflake: An Up-Close Look at the Art and Science of Snowflakes by Kenneth Libbrecht
• Snowflakes in Photographs by Wilson Bentley
• Museum of Science “How Snowflakes are Formed” (video)
• Accurate Paper Snowflake Tutorial