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The best specimens usually appear when the weather is quite cold -- about -15 C, or +5 F. Columns and Needles. Columnar snow crystals appear when the temperature is around -6 C (21 F), and they can be quite common. They are small and easy to miss, however, as they look like small bits of white hair on your sleeve.
- Wilson Bentley
- Classification Systems
- How Snowflakes Form from Water Vapor
- A Gallery of Snowflakes by Wilson Bentley
Wilson Bentley (1865–1931) from Jericho, Vermont, was the first person to capture photographs of snowflakes through a microscope attached to a camera. His collectionof over 5,000 images – no two alike – introduced many people to the astounding diversity of snow crystals.
In 1951, scientists from an organization now called the International Association of Cryospheric Sciences (IACS) devised a classification system that characterized snowflakes into 10 basic shapes. Kenneth Libbrecht, professor of physics at the California Institute of Technology, in his guide to snowflakes at SnowCrystals.com, provides this chart of...
Libbrecht has made extensive observations of how water molecules get incorporated into snow crystals. In his research, he observed that the most intricate snowflake patterns form when there is moisture in the air. Snowflakes produced in drier conditions tend to have simpler shapes. According to Libbrecht’s research, temperature also has a large eff...
Bottom line: Temperature and humidity influence snowflake shape. The most intricate snowflake patterns form during warm and wet conditions. Read more from NOAA
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What does [Snowflake] -XX°C mean?
What are the different types of snowflake shapes?
How do snowflakes form?
How does temperature affect the formation of snowflakes?
Jul 30, 2015 · A [snowflake] -XX°C icon will be incrementally added to airport approach plates, beginning Mar 5, 2015. The icon indicates a cold temperature altitude correction will be required on an approach when the reported temperature is, “at or below” the temperature specified for that airport.
Temperature: Ideally, temperatures should be just below freezing, around -2°C to -5°C (28°F to 23°F). This range is perfect for preserving the snowflakes’ structure without causing them to become too brittle. Humidity: Moderate to high humidity is crucial, as snowflakes form from water vapor.
Average high temperature Av. high temp. 67.6 ºF: 69 ºF: Average low temperature Av. low temp. 32.8 ºF: 35 ºF: Total precipitation Total precip. 0.12 inch: 0.45 inch: Total snowfall Total snowfall : 0.00 inch: 0 inch: Highest max temperature Highest max temp. 78.1 ºF -Lowest max temperature Lowest max temp. 48.9 ºF -Highest min temperature ...
- Snowflake
- Arizona
- Navajo
Oct 14, 2023 · Here is a list of some of the most noteworthy snowflake shapes and the conditions under which they form: Hexagonal Plates: Flat, six-sided crystals that form in temperatures between -2°C and -15°C. They grow primarily in lower humidity conditions. Stellar Plates: Six-branched stars with broad arms. They grow in similar conditions to hexagonal ...
Dec 22, 2022 · The Snow Crystal Morphology Diagram, or the Nakaya Diagram, is his handy chart that illustrates how snowflakes are formed. The diagram illustrates the kinds of snowflakes that form via atmospheric temperature and humidity during a snow crystal’s fall to the ground.