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What makes fluffy snow turn into crunchy, slippery, icy snow? — Penelope, 11, New York state

April 2, 2026 melissamayer

Dear Penelope,

I love the feel of freshly fallen, fluffy snow. But then it turns crunchy and wet. That feels yucky under my paws.

I asked my friend Jaitun Patel why that happens. She’s a data scientist at Washington State University’s AgWeatherNet. She makes sure weather stations put out reliable data.

She told me that fluffy snow turns crunchy because of how falling snowflakes land then melt and refreeze.

Snow forms when water vapor freezes way up in the clouds. That makes ice crystals called snowflakes.

Snowflakes look different depending on the conditions when they form. Some look star-shaped. They have lacy or … » More …

Where does all the snow go after winter? – Bobo, 7, Washington state

January 22, 2026 melissamayer

Dear Bobo,

There’s nothing more magical than sparkly flakes gently falling on a fluffy blanket of snow. But it’s a temporary kind of magic. When it warms up, the snow disappears.

I asked my friend Jennifer Adam what’s going on. She’s a water scientist at Washington State University.

She told me snow is frozen water. When temperatures rise, it melts. The solid frozen water turns back into liquid water.

That melted-snow water works just like rain water. It soaks into the ground. It fills up the spaces between bits of underground soil and rock. That’s the water that plants slurp up with their … » More …

What makes snow sparkle? – Hillary’s 1st graders, Washington State

January 23, 2025 melissamayer

Dear 1st graders,

I love bright, snowy days. That’s when you’ll find me building snowcats, throwing snowballs and watching the sun sparkle on the freshly fallen snow.

I asked my friend Von Walden why that sparkle happens. He’s an atmospheric scientist at Washington State University. Some of his research takes place near the North Pole and the South Pole.

He told me that snow sparkles because of the way snowflakes interact with the sun.

It turns out snowflakes are ice crystals. On Earth, snowflakes are hexagonal. That means they’re crystals with six sides.

How does snow form? -Susan, 8, Lake City, South Carolina

December 7, 2015 rcwebber

Dear Susan,

It just so happens that when I looked out the window here in Pullman, Wash., everything was covered in glittering snow. I watched it fall from the sky and wondered how exactly it formed, too.