How Cold Does It Have To Be To Snow? Temperature Myths Busted

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How cold does it have to be to snow? Temperature myths busted

We reveal how cold it has to be for the white stuff to fall

CommentsKeiran Southern12:06, 26 Feb 2018Updated 10:22, 24 Feb 2020

Parts of the North East have been covered in snow as temperatures plummet.

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But how cold does actually have to be for it to snow?

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Precipitation falls as snow when the air temperature is below 2C.

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It is a myth that it needs to be below zero to snow.

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In fact, in the UK, the heaviest snow falls tend to occur when the air temperature is between zero and 2C.

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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.

If the temperature is warmer than 2C 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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