Snow ake Science

Students express their feelings about snow akes

Sydney Territo terrisyd000@hsestudents.org

No two snow akes are alike” is a common phrase heard during moved to Indiana from a warmer climate, they were not accustomed to much snow until they moved wintertime as it begins snowing. e lesser-known reason behind their di erence is due to how they form as they fall. No two snow akes fall and form their crystal structures in the exact same way, making each snow ake unique. Snow is formed when a cold droplet of water freezes onto a particle of dust or pollen as it falls from the sky, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. en, as the crystal falls further, water vapor freezes onto the original crystal, forming and building upon the six branching patterns of the snow ake. “ e easiest way to understand precipitation is that, as an air parcel starts to move up in the atmosphere, it gets smaller, condenses until it reaches its dew point temperature, at which point the air parcel is saturated [with water],” meteorology teacher Marcy Clone said. “If it goes below that temperature, we have extra moisture that condenses on condensation nuclei. Depending upon the temperature, you get either water or you get ice crystals. ey all start as ice crystals. If it stays in that [dew point] temperature, that’s when you get snow. If it goes below that point it can turn into [liquid] precipitation like rain.” Due to the nature of how snow akes form, they can only fall in areas that reach certain low temperatures. For students who here. Senior Olivia Young moved from Arizona to Indiana a er growing up there as a young child. She experienced snow for the rst time in the Grand Canyon but came across it more frequently when she moved to Indiana. “I used to think snow was the most magical thing ever,” Young said. “Almost like a myth that everyone talks about, but you don’t know if it’s true because you haven’t seen it. Once I moved to Indiana, I hated the snow. One of my rst winters here had a huge snowstorm, so I wasn’t really prepared for what it was actually like.” Now, Young tolerates the snow. She still appreciates it for its beauty but does not appreciate the inconvenience it brings. Alternatively, other students have a passion for snow and like to experience it in various ways such as skiing or snowboarding.

One of these students is senior Jack Douthit, who skis with his family when he can. “Snow is so much fun; I love it,” Douthit said. “It’s really pretty, except for when it’s slush and then it sucks to drive in.” Douthit loves skiing for its location and the thrill that it brings. He has skied at Perfect North, but would love to “ e easiest way to go to Colorado and ski on understand precipitation mountains there. “I really like skiing [versus snowboarding] because you have a lot more control over what you’re doing,” Douthit said. “I have always liked snow, and I hadn’t gone skiing until freshman year, so I’m sure that snow boosted [my ski enthusiasm], but I don’t believe it was the baseline for it.” Much like snow akes, no two students have the exact same experience with snow. As Clone says, there is a uniqueness to each and every experience, which can be mirrored by the avenue each ake takes as it forms. “As a snow ake falls, or as it forms as it’s coming down, there’s not one spot in the atmosphere that’s exactly the same,” Clone said. “Because it’s taking its own path, it’s going to form based on the condition of that path.”

came across it more frequently when she moved

was the most magical thing ever,” Young One of these students is senior Jack Douthit, who skis with

pretty, except for when it’s slush and then it sucks to drive in.” have a lot more control over what you’re doing,” Douthit said. “I have Snow akes, as seen in this image, have branches that form with a similar structure, but each branch has di erent features, shapes and sizes due to the conditions they are under as they form. Photo labeled for reuse under the Creative Commons license. Graphic by Sydney Territo.