MORE SNOW: We know we promised – as our New
Year’s resolution – to get to our backlogged material. We will. We
still have 364 days to take care of that business.[neWLine]

Meanwhile, today, we pass along more useless information about
snow. Useless, yes, but we found it very interesting.[neWLine]

Our information comes from the National Snow and Ice
Data Center in Boulder, Colo., part of the University of Colorado,
and an affiliate of weather-related federal agencies.

[neWLine]

Why can snow fall when temperatures are above
freezing?[neWLine]

Snow forms in the atmosphere, so it can fall when surface
temperatures are above freezing as long as atmospheric temperatures
are below freezing.[neWLine]

Is it true that there is one inch of water in every ten inches
of snow that falls?[neWLine]

That ratio is not generally accurate. Ten inches of fresh snow
can contain as little as 0.10 inches of water, and up to 4 inches
depending on crystal structure, wind speed, temperature, and other
factors. The majority of U.S. snows fall with a water-to-snow ratio
of between 0.04 and 0.10.[neWLine]

Why is snow a good insulator?[neWLine]

Fresh, undisturbed snow is composed of a high percentage of air
trapped among the lattice structure of the accumulated snow
crystals. Since the air can barely move, heat transfer is greatly
reduced. Fresh, uncompacted snow typically is 90-95 percent trapped
air.[neWLine]

Is snow edible?[neWLine]

Clean snow is certainly edible. Snow in urban areas may contain
pollutants that one should not eat but they would probably be in
such low concentrations that it might not matter.[neWLine]

Why do more icicles form on the south sides of
buildings?[neWLine]

Icicles form as the result of cycles of melting and freezing.
Typically, this cycle will occur more often on the south sides of
buildings, melting in the day and freezing at night, whereas on the
north sides, without the benefit of the warmth of the sun, melting
does not occur as often.[neWLine]

What is a “”Nor’easter””?[neWLine]

A Nor’easter is a cyclonic storm that occurs off the
east coast of North America and is notorious for producing heavy
snow, rain, and waves that crash onto Atlantic
beaches.[neWLine]

Why do weather forecasters seem to have so much trouble
forecasting snow?[neWLine]

One reason is that often the heaviest snow amounts fall
in surprisingly narrow bands. Also, very slight temperature
differences that define the boundary line between rain and snow
make night-and-day differences in snow forecasts.