During this recent beautiful white Christmas, you might have noticed the different textures the snow had on different days. This will give you a brief description of what kinds of snow we’ve been seeing in Bethel and how they are made.

The most recent, Christmas Eve to Christmas Day snowfall, was a type of snow called powdered snow. This kind is more likely to be made when the overall temperature of the air is colder.

The colder temperatures cause the snow crystals to be more defined and, therefore, smaller. This gives the snow a more powdered feel, as well as making it shimmer under the smallest bit of light, like the moon.

This kind of snow, specifically the night of Christmas day, if cold enough, can almost squeak when it is stepped on. The colder and smaller the ice crystals are, the more light reflects off them.

The second kind of snow is made in hotter temperatures; for example, the big snow that fell a few weeks before Christmas. This kind of snow would be called packed snow and is the perfect material for snowmen and snowballs.

Packed snow can be pushed down and become very smooth which is perfect for sledding.

Fun fact, in regions that have perennial snow, which is year-round snow. The snow that stays on the ground all year is called firn, it re-crystalizes and becomes almost as hard as ice.

These different kinds of snow all vary on region or season, but either way, it’s a beautiful part of the winter season.