All About Snowflakes

Snowflakes are clusters of ice crystals that form around a piece of dust or sediment. You’ve probably heard that all snowflakes are unique and no two snowflakes are identical, and it’s true! Wilson Bentley was a meteorologist and photographer in the late 1800s and early 1900s who documented thousands of snowflakes with his camera. He never observed two snowflakes that were identical. There are several different types of snowflakes that form at different temperatures and humidity levels. The snowflakes we generally think of are dendrites, which have six sides and often have elaborate designs and details. These form at moderate temperatures (-5-15oF) and high humidity. There are several other types of snowflakes that are less elaborate, visible in this chart.

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