A snowflake begins its life as water vapor in the air that converts directly into ice crystals without first becoming liquid water. If hundreds or even thousands of these tiny ice crystals collide and ...

Snowflakes appear in dozens of structures, from simple columns and stars to ornate dendrites and beyond. Ahead, we’ve ...

Snowflakes form when supercooled water vapor freezes around particles in clouds. Temperature and humidity dictate snowflake shape; needles form around -5 to -10°C. No two snowflakes are alike due to ...

From large, wet flakes to hard, barrel-shaped pellets, snow comes in many forms. While all snowflakes start in the same basic way, variations in temperature and humidity while they are forming ...

"I read your article about the biggest snowflakes, and was wondering what causes the difference in size of the flakes. We get 'snow pellets' here along with what a co-worker called 'cotton ball flakes ...

Miriam Rossi, a professor of chemistry at Vassar College, offers the following reply: Snowflakes are symmetrical because they reflect the internal order of the water molecules as they arrange ...

As winter settles in, many of us are getting an up-close look at more snowflakes than we might care to. Let’s take a moment to look at just what forces are shaping (literally) our winter weather. Top ...

“No two snowflakes are alike.” I remember my mother telling me this as I ran around the yard chasing snowflakes as a child. Today, I realize that she was right, and we can thank Wilson Bentley, also ...

Winter snowstorms, like the Nor'easter that just slammed New England, transform gray days into winter wonderlands. So while you're stuck inside, or within snowshoe-walking distance, here are six fun ...