Snowflakes:
A fresh look at our flaky friends

I was hiking one of the many DNR trails around our state when snowflakes started to fall. It was so quiet that I could almost hear each snowflake hit the ground. The snow didn’t last long, but made me wonder, where do snowflakes come from? I stopped at the nature center and the interpretive naturalist told me.

Snowflakes start as tiny ice crystals in high, cold cirrus clouds. The flakes grow as they fall to the ground, and may begin to take on different shapes. The type of snowflake shape we see depends on the temperature at which it is formed. Some snowflakes have six branches. Some are shaped like flat plates. Some are shaped like tubes. Some snowflakes can even be shaped like needles.

I also learned that a man by the name of Wilson Bentley took more than 6,000 photographs of individual flakes between the early 1880s and 1931. He discovered that in all of his photographs, no two snowflakes were alike. Isn’t that incredible?

Did you know that fresh snow is made up of about 90 to 95 percent trapped air? The interpreter told me that 10 inches of snow can insulate about as much as 6 inches of the Fiberglas insulation found in many homes.

An Eskimo knows how warm a well-made igloo can be. Have you ever thought about making one? Use a 12-inch x 12-inch or similar-sized cardboard box and pack snow in it. Turn the box over and let the snow “block” slide out.

It will take several snow blocks to make enough for your igloo. Make sure an adult helps you by inspecting your igloo to make sure it’s safe to play in.


Flaky facts

• Every state has had snow at one time or another, even Hawaii.

• Snowflakes have been known to get up to 2 inches in diameter.

• Snowflakes are white because sunlight is white. Most objects absorb some sunlight, which gives them their color. But the crystals in a snowflake are excellent reflectors, so we see bright white.

• It never gets too cold to snow. It can snow even at incredibly cold temperatures as long as there is some source of moisture and some way to lift or cool the air.


Snow is not only interesting, it’s also fun to play in. Many of my friends like it when our school declares a snow day. There are so many ways you can have fun when it snows. How do you have fun in the snow?

I like to lie down in the snow and make snow angels. To make one, fall gently on your back in fresh snow. Keep your entire body flat and brush your arms between your head and waist in a big sweeping motion. Then, move your legs apart as far as they will go and then back together. It’s like doing jumping jacks while lying down. I repeat these motions two or three times. Usually, one of my friends stands at my feet and helps pull me up. Then, I turn around and see what I have made. Try it!

Sometimes, my friends and I like to a have a snowball fight or go sledding. One of our favorite things to do, especially after a big, wet snowfall, is make a snowman.