Some weather forecasters are predicting 36 days of snow and ice this winter. So it’s a good idea to plan for it. Here are some tips and fun facts
Did you know that snow is not actually white but transparent? It looks white because there are so many different angles and surfaces, so the light bounces off them and appears white. All snowflakes have six sides because of something called hydrogen bonding.
The average snowflake falls at around 3mph, the same as a gentle walking pace, which may be why falling snow is so peaceful to watch, compared with rain which falls at around 17mph.
Spare a thought for people who suffer from chionophobia – fear of snow. Most of us, especially children, have the opposite condition – chionomania, a love of snow.
Skiers and snow-boarders have invented lots of words to describe different kinds of snow: pow pow for fresh powder snow; champagne powder, great for skiing because it’s smooth and dry; mashed potatoes is old, dense snow that’s hard to turn in; corduroy is the ridged surface after the snow has been flattened by machines and crud is wet lumpy snow, great for boarders but more challenging for skiers.
Did you know that people buy more cakes, biscuits and sweets than any other food when heavy snow is forecast? Not very sensible of us, but we all love a bit of comfort food when the weather is bad.
The world’s biggest snowman was a woman – recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2008. The people of the American town of Bethel built a 122 ft high snow-woman with 30ft tree trunks for arms, 5ft wreaths for eyes and 16ft skis for eyelashes.
There’s something about snow that brings out the record-breakers. North Dakota holds the title for the most snow angels made simultaneously in one place (8,962 since you ask).
Impressively, igloos can be more than 100 degrees (F) warmer inside than outside. They’re warmed entirely by body heat and because fresh, compacted snow is around 90% trapped air it’s a great insulator, keeping the heat inside.
When Honda developed its compact snowthrower 35 years ago, it was another world first. Before that the only machines available were the large snow ploughs used on public roads. A bit over the top for your driveway! The single-stage Honda Snowthrower can clear snow depths of up to 30cm, five to six times quicker than doing it by hand, saving you time, hard work and an aching back!
