Snow Trivia

The commonly used ten-to-one ratio of snowfall to water
content is a myth for much of the United States. This
ratio varies from as low as 100-to-one to as high as about
three-to-one depending on the meteorological conditions
associated with the snowfall.
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In the western United States, mountain snow pack contributes
up to 75 percent of all year-round surface water supplies.
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The greatest snowfall officially reported at the Phoenix,
Arizona National Weather Service Office was one inch. That
occurred twice. The first time was January 20, 1933. It
happened again four years later on the same date.

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Mashed Potatoes?
In the early 1900s, skiers created their own terminology to
describe types of snow, including the terms "fluffy snow,"
"powder snow," and "sticky snow." Later, the terminology
expanded to include descriptive terms such as "champagne
powder," "corduroy," and "mashed potatoes."
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Why is snow white?
Visible sunlight is white. Most natural materials absorb
some sunlight which gives them their color. Snow, however,
reflects most of the sunlight. The complex structure of
snow crystals results in countless tiny surfaces from
which visible light is efficiently reflected. What little
sunlight is absorbed by snow is absorbed uniformly over
the wavelengths of visible light thus giving snow its white
appearance.
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Why is snow a good insulator?
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.