Home
Weather New York
WeatherRadar
RainRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    Did you know? Seven facts about snow

01:00 PM
December 31, 2023

Did you know?
Seven facts about snow

Mount Rainier
Mount Rainer is visible from Seattle. - © Daniel Schwen, Wikipedia

From myth busters on Earth to findings on Mars, here are seven facts you may not know about snow.

1. The snowiest place in the U.S.

It will be no surprise to anyone, but the snowiest places sits on a mountain — technically a volcano. Washington's Mount Rainier averages 645.5 inches of snow per year. Rainier is about 59 miles south-southeast Seattle and is visible from the Emerald City on clear day.

2. Deepest snow?

The deepest snow ever recorded in the U.S. was in Tamarack, Calif., in 1911. The snow depth was 451 inches or 37.5 feet. This is located in the Sierra Nevada.

3. Snow isn't white

It's actually totally clear! Although snowflakes appear white, ice is translucent, meaning light only passes through indirectly, so diffuse reflection through the many sides of the ice crystals causes it to seem white in color.

4. How fast?

Snow falls at an average speed of 1 to 4 mph, taking around an hour to reach the ground. If any snowflakes become supercooled, and heavier, they can fall a little faster than your regular snowflake.

5. It's never too cold to snow!

It can never be too cold, but it can be too dry!

6. Snow on Mars

According to NASA, during the summer in the north of the planet there could be violent snow storms. With clouds and subsurface ice detected on Mars, snow is certainly plausible.

Scientists also found a cloud of carbon dioxide snowflakes over the southern pole of Mars.

7. Dust must be present

The cold water droplet needs to have dust or pollen particles to freeze onto in the sky to create an ice crystal.

Weather & Radar USA editorial team

More on the topic

How does fog form?. Multiple ways. . . Saturday, September 12, 2026
Saturday, September 12, 2026

Multiple ways

How does fog form?
A massive typhoon heads for Taiwan. Storms and heavy rain. . . Thursday, October 22, 2026
Thursday, October 22, 2026

Storms and heavy rain

A massive typhoon heads for Taiwan
Hurricane Polo heads for Mexico. Severe weather risk. . . Monday, September 28, 2026
Hurricane Polo is set to make landfall in the Baja-California.
Monday, September 28, 2026

Severe weather risk

Hurricane Polo heads for Mexico
All weather news

This might also interest you

Rare tornado risk accompanies flood risk. Autumn tropical influx. . . Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Southwest rainfall
Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Autumn tropical influx

Rare tornado risk accompanies flood risk
Orionid Meteor Shower Peaks. Seeing stars. . . Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Seeing stars

Orionid Meteor Shower Peaks
Below-average activity continues. Quiet Atlantic. . . Monday, October 19, 2026
Monday, October 19, 2026

Quiet Atlantic

Below-average activity continues
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

instagramfacebookthreadslinkList