Home
Weather Dublin
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    Did you know? Seven facts about snow

14:00
26 December 2023

Did you know?
Seven facts about snow

Cairngorm Mountains, Scottish Highlands.
Cairngorm Mountains, Scottish Highlands.

From myth busters on Earth to findings on Mars, here are seven facts you may not know about snow.

1. The snowiest place in the UK and Ireland

It will be no surprise to hear that Scotland is the snowiest place in the UK and Ireland, with the Cairngorm Chairlift weather station recording an average of 76.2 days of snow per year.

2. Deepest snow?

The deepest snow ever recorded was near Ruthin, North Wales during the winter of 1946-47. In the March of 1947 1.65m of lying snow was recorded here, thanks to severe drifts.

3. Snow isn't white

It's actually totally clear! Although snowflakes appear white, ice is translucent, meaning light only passes through indirectly, so diffuse reflection through the many sides of the ice crystals causes it to seem white in colour.

4. How fast?

Snow falls at an average speed of 1-4mph, taking around an hour to reach the ground. If any snowflakes become supercooled, and heavier, they can fall a little faster than your regular snowflake.

5. It's never too cold to snow!

It can never be too cold, but it can be too dry!

6. Snow on Mars

According to NASA, during the summer in the north of the planet there could be violent snow storms. With clouds and subsurface ice detected on Mars, snow is certainly plausible.

Scientists also found a cloud of carbon dioxide snowflakes over the southern pole of Mars.

7. Dust must be present

The cold water droplet needs to have dust or pollen particles to freeze onto in the sky to create an ice crystal.

Artificial snow used for winter sportsread more
Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
Increasingly gusty as low approaches. Overnight winds. . . Wednesday 1 July 2026
Wind forecast map of the UK and northern Europe showing a low-pressure system centred near the Faroe Islands, with orange wind zones, airflow streamlines, and gusts reaching 45 mph in northeast Scotland and around 35 mph across Ireland and northern England.
Wednesday 1 July 2026

Overnight winds

Increasingly gusty as low approaches
Yet another typhoon in the Pacific. Gusts of over 185 mph. . . Friday 3 July 2026
Wind forecast map of the western Pacific showing a powerful typhoon east of Guam with a well-defined eye, strong wind circulation, and a windsock warning icon.
Friday 3 July 2026

Gusts of over 185 mph

Yet another typhoon in the Pacific
A sudden change in weather for Europe. Thunderstorms & tornadoes. . . Thursday 2 July 2026
Split image showing a dramatic supercell thunderstorm with a lowering cloud base over farmland on the left, and a Europe lightning map on the right with dense lightning strikes and a thunderstorm warning symbol across central and southeastern Europe.
Thursday 2 July 2026

Thunderstorms & tornadoes

A sudden change in weather for Europe
All weather news
This might also interest you
Seasonal warmth between spring thunder. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday 19 April 2026
Split image showing coastal sunset with layered lenticular clouds over rooftops and palm trees on the left, and a green valley with river and hills under soft daylight on the right.
Sunday 19 April 2026

Your weather - Your shots

Seasonal warmth between spring thunder
A frozen start to the weekend. Icy conditions. . . Friday 13 February 2026
UK temperature map dated 14.02 showing widespread subzero values in blue shading, with readings such as −4 in Glasgow, −3 in Dublin, and −2 in London, alongside a blue thermometer icon.
Friday 13 February 2026

Icy conditions

A frozen start to the weekend
Historic Storm Éowyn arrives. On this day.... . . Saturday 24 January 2026
Split image showing a person in a yellow jacket struggling against strong winds and heavy rain on a street at night on the left, and an Irish wind forecast map on the right with red and purple shading, gusts up to 75 mph, and a wind warning icon, divided by a curved white line.
Saturday 24 January 2026

On this day...

Historic Storm Éowyn arrives
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwitteryouTubelinkList