Book 20, Question 120
Why Is Snow in the Rockies So Light and Fluffy?
Snow in the Rockies is often light and fluffy because the air there is very cold and dry. Skiers love it, and they call it powder, because it feels almost like flour.
More fun facts
- The amount of water in freshly fallen snow drops as you move east from the Pacific Coast to the Rockies.
- New snow in the Sierra Nevada holds around 12 percent water.
- New snow at stations in the central Rocky Mountains holds close to 7 percent water.
- An old rule of thumb said 10 inches of snow melts into 1 inch of water, but that is far from the norm.
- Deep cold usually makes fluffier snow with less water in it.
- The warmer it is, closer to freezing, the wetter and heavier the snow.
Sources: wildaboututah.org, National Weather Service
Questions kids ask
Why is powder snow so light?
Very cold, dry air makes snowflakes with little water in them, so they pile up fluffy and light.