How Cold Does It Have To Be For Snow To Fall? How Does Snow Form?

Met Office issues snow and ice warnings across the UK

TABLE OF CONTENT

• How cold does it have to be to snow?
• Can it be too cold to snow?
• How does snow form?
• Met Office long range forecast for December

Cold weather will sweep towards Britain from the Arctic this month, causing freezing temperatures and raising the possibility of snow, particularly for higher regions. Several national weather warnings have been issued, while the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a Level 3 Cold Weather Alert covering England until December 12.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Steve Willington, said: “As an Arctic maritime airmass settles across the UK temperatures will fall with widespread overnight frosts, severe in places, and daytime temperatures only a few degrees above freezing. However, the cold air from the Arctic will also bring brighter conditions, with some dry, sunny spells, particularly away from the coast and where winds are light it could feel pleasant in the sunshine. Some patchy freezing fog is also likely. ”

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How cold does it have to be to snow?

Many think that it needs to be below freezing (0C) to snow but that's not actually the case. In fact, ground temperatures only need to drop below 2C. In the UK, the heaviest snow tends to happen when the air temperature is between 0C and 2C.

The Met Office explains: "The falling snow does begin to melt as soon as the temperature rises above freezing, but as the melting process begins, the air around the snowflake is cooled.

"Snowfall can be defined as 'slight,' 'moderate' or 'heavy'. When combined with strong winds, a snowfall can create blizzards and drifts.

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"If the temperature is warmer than 2 °C then the snowflake will melt and fall as sleet rather than snow, and if it's warmer still, it will be rain."

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The air is cold enough for snow when the wind sweeps in from the Arctic regions to the north or from Siberia to the east.

Can it be too cold to snow?

Dr Sylvia Knight, Head of Education at the Royal Meteorologist Society, told the BBC: “It’s never too cold to snow in the UK, but it can be elsewhere in the world.”

Areas that can be 'too cold' are usually found in the centre of large land masses, such as Eurasia, Antarctica or North America. This is because the wind will not have "encountered enough water that can easily evaporate", she explained.

Snowflakes form when the atmospheric temperature is at or below 0C (Image: GETTY)

• Snow is not white. It;'s actually translucent and only appears white becuase of the reflection of light off it
• There are 35 different types of snowflake, according to the creator of the Compound Interest science blog, Andy Brunning
• The Scots language has 421 ways of saying snow including ‘skelf’ (a large snowflake), ‘spitters’ (small drops of driving snow) and ‘unbrak' (the beginning of a thaw)
• Chionophobia is the fear of snow, which derives from the Greek word ‘chion' which means snow
• Snowflakes can fall as fast as 14mph and can be as large as 15 inches across

How does snow form?

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Snow is formed moisture droplets in the air form ice crystals when atmospheric temperatures are at or below freezing.

These crystals grow by absorbing more and more droplets, eventually forming snowflakes.

Every snowflake is unique, but they always have six sides because they join together in a hexagonal structure.

Most snowflakes are around 1cm wide, but under ideal conditions with freezing temperatures and light winds flakes of up to up to two inches can form.

Met Office long range forecast for December

Monday, December 12 to Wednesday, December 21:

The Met Office forecast says: "Cold weather is expected to continue through the period, particularly in the north, although some milder spells are possible in southern regions. Wintry showers will mainly affect the north and northeast UK, with western and central areas remaining dry. A widespread, locally severe, frost is expected with the potential for freezing fog in places. While timing remains uncertain, areas of cloud, rain and stronger winds may progress into southwestern areas with potential for significant snowfall and freezing rain. Later in the period, cold weather with wintry showers is likely to continue in the north, with rain and strong wind likely in the south. Temperatures remaining cold to very cold, with occasional milder spells in the south."

Thursday, December 22 to Thursday, January 5:

The forecast reads: "General themes remain uncertain for the rest of the period. Conditions may be widely changeable, with some spells of rain, and at times snow. These expected to be accompanied by strong winds, initially focused in southern parts, but affecting all areas at times. Colder and more settled conditions with occasional wintry showers could continue, particularly in the north. Temperatures gradually returning closer to average towards the end of December and start of January."

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