How Snow Is Formed

Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by external pressure. Snowflakes come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Snow is formed in winter season. First, the sun heating the earth's surface water and causing the surface water to evaporate. The water vapor rises into the Earth's atmosphere. High up in the sky, clouds begin to form. Clouds are made of water vapor. The water vapor in the atmosphere cools and condenses into liquid droplets. When the temperature in the air is cold, the droplets start to freeze and become ice crystals. Then, these ice crystals are formed into snowflakes. Snowflakes formation starts when water vapor condenses on microscopic dust grains inside the clouds. A large flake s unique structure is caused by ever-changing temperatures. If there are so many snowflakes formed in the Clouds until the clouds are fully condensed, the snowflakes will fall from the clouds. This process called snowfall. While falling, snowflakes can bump into each other damaging each other and/or joining to make a larger snowflake. Sometimes, snowflakes may encounter warmer air. If snowflakes encounter warmer air, snowflakes will begin to melt. But, this occurrence is rarely occurred in winter season. Finally, snowflakes landed onto the ground, cover the trees, houses, buildings, streets. People in four-season country usually have snowball fight, ski, make a snow-man, and snow shoveling in winter season. When the sun is out and the winter season is over, it's starting to melt into water.