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28/10/2021

Some snowflakes appear to zoom down from the sky with the power of blizzard-force wind, while others seem to float down to Earth like a feather caught in a breeze. However, the truth is, according to the Chicago Tribune, nearly all—about 95 percent—of snowflakes fall at speeds that are between one and six feet per second.

28/10/2021

Every winter, more than a septillion snowflakes fall down to Earth, according to the Library of Congress. To put it another way, that's 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 snowflakes or a trillion trillion.

28/10/2021

Most kids can probably tell you that some snow is loose and not ideal for crafting the perfect snowball, while other snow packs together tightly and easily for a strong foundation of some winter ammo. But there are actually five different types of snow, which are characterized by the amount of water in their consistency. There is dry snow (zero percent water), moist snow (less than 3 percent), wet snow (between 3 percent and 8 percent), very wet snow (between 8 percent and 15 percent), and, finally, slush, or snow that is 15 percent water.

28/10/2021

You might think that there's not much you can do to feed your gardening fix when the weather turns cold, but there are actually plenty of flowers that bloom in winter. If you're looking to dig into some dirt and don't want to wait until spring, try growing winter pansies, lenten roses (which are also known as Christmas roses), winter aconite, and snowdrops.

28/10/2021

Back in the 1970s, lift operators in the ski resort town of Angel Fire, New Mexico, used to slide down the slopes on their shovels instead of walking all the way to the bottom of the snowy hills. This sparked competitions that were the beginning of shovel racing, which is now a popular winter sport, according to Wired.

28/10/2021

Stonehenge has stood for thousands of years, and each year, the prehistoric English monument helps to mark the winter solstice. "Although the tallest trilithon at the monument is no longer standing, the sun would have set between the narrow gap of these uprights during the winter solstice," according to English Heritage.

28/10/2021

If you've ever taken a shower and gone out into cold weather before your hair is fully dry, then you're likely aware that it can freeze if the temperature is low enough. And while you probably don't consider frozen hair to be your choice 'do, it happens to be the exact goal of participants of the annual International Hair Freezing Contest, which takes place every February. "The purpose of the contest is to create the most creative frozen hairdos possible; you soak in the hot springs and allow the steam to accumulate on your head while the cold air freezes your hair," according to the event's website. The intricate icy hairstyles that competitors have donned over the years since the contest began in Canada's Yukon territory in 2011 are really something to see.

28/10/2021

If you're looking for a memorable winter getaway, consider booking a trip to Finland's Igloo Village Kakslauttanen. Guests can opt to stay inside of glass igloos that offer breathtaking views of the scenic winter landscape, as well as the Northern Lights that sometimes flash in the night sky above.

28/10/2021

For years, it's been common practice to use salt on roads and sidewalks in order to melt slippery—and potentially dangerous—ice. But, salt can actually be harmful to the environment and in an effort to be more eco-friendly, some cities are using alternative methods to melt ice, such as beet juice, beer waste, and pickle brine, according to National Geographic. A county in Wisconsin, a state famous for its dairy, is even using cheese brine to prep roads before snowstorms!

28/10/2021

Don't feel like rolling your own snowballs this winter? Then you'll want to keep an eye out for snow rollers, which, according to National Geographic, are "the cold weather equivalent of tumbleweeds." Apparently, "wind pushes snow across the ground, gathering it into a hollow cylinder" and creating these self-forming snowballs.

28/10/2021

Spotting colorful snow of any shade is exciting, but if you happen to see pink snow then you can impress your friends by letting them know it's called watermelon snow, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac. Along with sharing the tasty fruit's pleasant pink shade, the snow also smells sweet. But that doesn't mean that you should eat it! The rosy hue is often due to algae, which can make you sick if you ingest it.

28/10/2021

We may think of snow as being pristinely white, but technically, it's completely colorless. Despite that fact, tiny particles of dust or algae can make snow appear to be a range of different rainbow-like colors, including yellow, orange, green, and even purple, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac.

28/10/2021

It's not unusual to hear thunder during a summer storm, but did you know that thunder can come clapping during the winter months, too? It's called thundersnow, and it's a rare weather phenomenon that refers to a snowstorm complete with both thunder and lightning. For thundersnow to occur, "the air layer closer to the ground has to be warmer than the layers above, but still cold enough to create snow," according to CNN.

28/10/2021

Santa Claus isn't the only winter figure with a jolly nature. While people born during the spring and summer months tend to have "excessively positive temperaments," they're also "more likely to experience rapid shifts in mood," according to 2011 research published in the Journal of Affective Disorder. On the other hand, those who made their entrance into the world during winter are "less likely to have irritable temperaments."

28/10/2021

Plenty of animals tuck away food for the winter, including red squirrels, who prepare a particularly unique snack to enjoy when the temperature drops. Along with storing seeds and nuts, the culinarily inclined critters dry out mushrooms in trees to make what National Geographic describes as "hand-made artisanal conifer-dried mushroom jerky." Yum!

14/10/2021

14/10/2021

14/10/2021

14/10/2021