science What is snowing like where you live?

[Azure Acrylic 24]

Now, since I’m in a country in which winter is non-existent here, I’m kinda wondering how is winter and snow like in your place, the Western World. I’ve only seen winter about 4 times, and actual snow only one time. So, snow is kinda like a foreign object to me. You guys see it almost all the time, so how is it like? Is it nice, or is it cold and blocks roads?

[Envy 6,142]

I know people up North get annoyed with it. But where I live snow is mostly nonexistent nowadays. We used to get hit with decent snowstorm frequently, but then in the winters of 09/10 and 10/11 we got hit with our largest snow totals in recorded history and after that we've got like nothing each year. It's like all of the snow got used up. I'm serious, I don't know what's going on, because I've never seen this happen in my lifetime.

Where I live *if* it even snows, it's pretty much melting before it stops. Since the weather is all over the place, usually a snowstorm is preceded by a 60-70 degree plus day, so it has to snow for a long time before it even begins to stick. Of course, that's the old days, back when snow actually stuck. Now it snows only enough for a dusting and then it's all gone, and it melts quickly.

Despite that, people still whine and moan when it snows at all, posting memes made by people from the North/Northeast as if the flurries we're dealing with are even remotely comparable to blizzards in areas that actually stay cold and the snow never really melts. It's so pathetic.

Edited December 2, 2019 by Envy

[Cagey 4,248]

There are different types of snow—slushy, wet snow, icy, hard snow, soft, fluffy snow, and moldable, snowman-making snow. It’s snowing where I am, but it’s hard to get on camera. 

[Lucky Bolt 35,062]

Zero. Our snow is zero. Aka we don’t get any.  Closest thing we get to snow here in Florida is frost. 

[Cash In 22,214]

I live in Australia - where it is currently summer. Even in winter, we don't get any snow, so it has never been much of a big deal to me.

[Splashee 28,563]

Snow is no big deal, you aren't missing anything!

 

*Runs out and throws snowballs at things*

 

 

Snow is pretty, and it acts as a light source, making the night less dark. If it is colder that freezing temperatures, then the snow gets very shimmery and sparkly like a 1000 tiny diamonds and very crunchy to walk on. The best snow is just at freezing temperature (0 degrees Celsius), where the snowflakes are huge, and you can build anything from snowmen to huge snow castles! And as long as you are fully dressed, you can just jump anywhere without taking damage, as it acts as a safety cushion between you and rocks.

So you might be missing something?

[JonasDarkmane 19,785]

There is all kinds of snow here in Iceland. Slushy, frozen, soft, hard, you name it. It can either snow very little or it can snow a lot. Usually, you won't notice too much of it since we have modernized to a point where most, if not all our highways have hot water pipes below them that melt the snow so that cars are able to drive. I remember one time when I was young I thought I was trapped in my own house because the snow had risen high enough that I was not strong enough to open the door. 

We are no strangers to snow here in Iceland~

[SparklingSquirrels 21,331]

I’m orginally from northern Ohio where we would get plenty of snow. I live in DC now though and let me tell you, this city does not know how to deal with snow . The tiniest bit of snow falls and then the whole city seems to shut down... we haven’t had any snow here yet; usually it comes in January or February.

[SharpWit 2,611]

Here in the Pacific North West of the United States, our weather differs considerably from the rest of the country because we're right up against the largest ocean on the planet, but we have two mountain ranges and the Puget sound to insulate us.

In the western half we mostly have mild winters, so there isn't a lot of snowfall, but this also when we get a lot of our rain and combined with the near freezing temperatures it can get a bit miserable. I find we mostly get snow that seems to collide midair and form bundles, so you can see "snowflakes" that are half an inch wide or more, and where I've lived we probably average 3 days where it snows but it's a question of whether it's cold enough to stick to the ground. Sometimes it'll just dump on us and we have a foot or so that hangs around for a week. The mountains recieve a fair amount and are just gorgeous though.

East of those we get to the wide open fields and rolling hills of the lava flats. I believe this side of the state still doesn't get it quite as bad as the rest of the country since the Rocky Mountains run along the border and provide another protective layer from the rest of the continent, but you can expect lots of snow and below freezing temperatures.

[TBD 17,254]

It’s icy, windy, and lots of snows. 

[Kamii 595]

Portugal gets snow in some places, namely in the north of the country, but not where I'm from. Therefore, I've seen snow before, a lot of times actually, but I never came in contact with it. Either way, snow in Portugal usually doesn't stay on the ground for long (maybe a week or so) except for a specific place, the only one with a ski resort in the entire country called Serra da Estrela.

Spoiler

 

[Moondrop 💧 743]

I live in a country famous for its alps and skiing. But sadly in a quite flat area. Where I grew up we had over 1m high walls of snow in the garden and it was normal. Where I live now it's more like 30cm.

I love the forests in the winter. (and.. Practically every other season too lol)

But shoveling snow from your walkway or carrying fire wood through a mini tundra in your garden ain't as fun. 

[Pentium100 2,120]

When it's cold (especially at, say, -30C), the snow is dry and makes a nice sound when you walk or drive on it. It used to snow here more a few years ago, sometimes up to 50cm. My grandmother remembers it snowing even more in the past, once or twice 2m or so.

When it's not cold, the snow is wet and sticks to itself, you can build a snowman then, or just have a snowball fight.

Sow also makes the roads slippery and easy to get stuck, especially if the car is RWD. The city puts salt on the roads, which melts the snow and ice, but also makes cars rust faster. And if there is ice under the snow, good luck stopping (and starting again), especially if the tires are not that good.

[Here No Longer 5,276]

Well, in western Washington state it was at least a yearly occurence, but here in southeast Texas, it's a once in a decade freak thing that everyone for some reason gets absolutely excited about.

[EpicEnergy 23,173]

Where I'm at, sometimes snow is fun and amazing, but when it is mixed with rain and ice it becomes miserable outside and the roads get very dangerous to drive on.

[Early Sunsets 2,106]

Let me tell you about snow here in the Roanoke Valley.

It's about ten to twenty degrees for a few weeks. On the internet it says that snow is moving our way, and everyone gets excited. The day of snow comes, everyone looks out their windows, and it's fifty degrees and raining. Or maybe it's thirty five and snowing, but none of it sticks.

That's winter where I live. We get actual snow once, maybe twice a winter because Mother Nature hates us. Except for that one winter we got like four feet of snow all at once.

[ssj4gogita4 101]

Colorado got a good 21 inches in some places and close to that in others. Made for a good snow day off work 😬

[Azure Acrylic 24]

3 hours ago, AngelDustlicious said:

Well, in western Washington state it was at least a yearly occurence, but here in southeast Texas, it's a once in a decade freak thing that everyone for some reason gets absolutely excited about.

Well, in my place, the only thing that’s closest to snow is light hail that’s only 4 cm wide that happens once every 20 years.

13 hours ago, Cagey said:

There are different types of snow—slushy, wet snow, icy, hard snow, soft, fluffy snow, and moldable, snowman-making snow. It’s snowing where I am, but it’s hard to get on camera. 

That looks pretty, but after a short while, you sorta get used to the cold and crave for heat.

13 hours ago, Lucky Bolt said:

Zero. Our snow is zero. Aka we don’t get any.  Closest thing we get to snow here in Florida is frost. 

Well, my place doesn’t even get frost. Last thing that occurred in my place that was similar to snow was small hail that only happens once every 20 years.

12 hours ago, Cash In said:

I live in Australia - where it is currently summer. Even in winter, we don't get any snow, so it has never been much of a big deal to me.

What? That’s strange... even in my country the temperature drops a bit during November and December.

[Azure Acrylic 24]

12 hours ago, Splashee said:

Snow is no big deal, you aren't missing anything!

 

*Runs out and throws snowballs at things*

 

 

Snow is pretty, and it acts as a light source, making the night less dark. If it is colder that freezing temperatures, then the snow gets very shimmery and sparkly like a 1000 tiny diamonds and very crunchy to walk on. The best snow is just at freezing temperature (0 degrees Celsius), where the snowflakes are huge, and you can build anything from snowmen to huge snow castles! And as long as you are fully dressed, you can just jump anywhere without taking damage, as it acts as a safety cushion between you and rocks.

So you might be missing something?

Well, people here tell me that if I walked out into a place where it was 0 degrees, I would freeze in place in 5 seconds, even if I’m wearing proper gear.

10 hours ago, SparklingSwirls said:

I’m orginally from northern Ohio where we would get plenty of snow. I live in DC now though and let me tell you, this city does not know how to deal with snow . The tiniest bit of snow falls and then the whole city seems to shut down... we haven’t had any snow here yet; usually it comes in January or February.

Wow, your city isn’t not that great in dealing with snow. Don’t they have snowplows or something?

5 hours ago, DripMoondrop said:

I live in a country famous for its alps and skiing. But sadly in a quite flat area. Where I grew up we had over 1m high walls of snow in the garden and it was normal. Where I live now it's more like 30cm.

I love the forests in the winter. (and.. Practically every other season too lol)

But shoveling snow from your walkway or carrying fire wood through a mini tundra in your garden ain't as fun. 

Hmm, France or Switzerland? The mountains there are pretty high. But, I can’t take wood from random places back here, because I’ll get strange looks from people and it’s probably illegal.

[Azure Acrylic 24]

5 hours ago, Pentium100 said:

When it's cold (especially at, say, -30C), the snow is dry and makes a nice sound when you walk or drive on it. It used to snow here more a few years ago, sometimes up to 50cm. My grandmother remembers it snowing even more in the past, once or twice 2m or so.

When it's not cold, the snow is wet and sticks to itself, you can build a snowman then, or just have a snowball fight.

Sow also makes the roads slippery and easy to get stuck, especially if the car is RWD. The city puts salt on the roads, which melts the snow and ice, but also makes cars rust faster. And if there is ice under the snow, good luck stopping (and starting again), especially if the tires are not that good.

Well, people tell me that at -30C I would freeze in 1 second even if I have proper gear on. And, slippery roads is the reason why everyone in that city should get a off road vehicle, like a Land Rover or something.

[Splashee 28,563]

9 minutes ago, Rainbows2424 said:

Well, people here tell me that if I walked out into a place where it was 0 degrees, I would freeze in place in 5 seconds, even if I’m wearing proper gear.

Not really.

Your body temperature is around 36-37 degrees Celsius. 0 degrees Celsius doesn't really hurt that much more than any other lower temperatures, such as 5, or 10. It doesn't immediately make things freeze, and you do move so you generate heat yourself.

[Megas 27,564]

I live in southern California so snow is some sort of evil witchcraft

[Azure Acrylic 24]

26 minutes ago, Splashee said:

Not really.

Your body temperature is around 36-37 degrees Celsius. 0 degrees Celsius doesn't really hurt that much more than any other lower temperatures, such as 5, or 10. It doesn't immediately make things freeze, and you do move so you generate heat yourself.

Well, most people here ain’t seen snow before, so they’re kinda overestimating things.

22 minutes ago, Jefferson Steelflex said:

I live in southern California so snow is some sort of evil witchcraft

Los Angeles or San Francisco? I usually don’t hear from snow in those places.

[Megas 27,564]

4 minutes ago, Rainbows2424 said:

Well, most people here ain’t seen snow before, so they’re kinda overestimating things.

Los Angeles or San Francisco? I usually don’t hear from snow in those places.

I live near San Diego, so even further south

[Azure Acrylic 24]

1 minute ago, Jefferson Steelflex said:

I live near San Diego, so even further south

Oh. Yeah, snow never comes around those places.