[sara_scotland (OP)]

I have often heard it said, and i quote
"ooooooo, its too cold to snow, you're safe to go any where"

After the night and alot of snow shoveling later, I was wondering is it ever to cold to snow?

Sara

Is all we see or seem, just a dream within a dream?

[gsmollin]

Ther is some truth to that, although you don't get that cold in the UK. In antarctica, where it is mostly cold, they get little snow. In fact, there are dry valleys with no snow; it doesn't snow there, ever. What little falls, never melts, so there is two miles of ice cover the continent, but it is almost a non-renewable resource.

[neilep]

I concur...and it has never snowed in my freezer and that is very cold !!......[]


'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'

[gsmollin]

Well, it turns out to be more complicated in Antarctica, although its always more complicated than it is...

Antarctica doesn't get blessed with any prevailing winds, since it is over the pole. So the air can't pick up moisture out in the ocean, then sweep over cold, dry land and drop precipitation. However, the point still stands: The cold air is very dry. Over the ocean, the air gets warmer from the water, and absorbs moisture. Over land, it gets colder and drier. Unless it gets hotter and drier as in a hot desert...

[simeonie]

Well I am sure it could be too cold to snow. I thought hail stones were like snow but have been in colder conditions. Although I think hail all depends on the wind force pushing it up and down through the coldness up high.

mmm hi!

[daveshorts]

I have been in Moscow at about -16 and it was snowing - the snow was really pretty as the flakes were really perfect, so they sparkled in the street lights, as the whole flake would act like a mirror when it rotates - I think it is unlikely to snow very hard when it is very cold as the air can't hold much moisture, but it can snow at most temperatures you are likely to find in this country

[anthony]

I believe there may be something to the phrase, at least as far as the UK in concerned. If it snows when cold air meets moisture bearing warm air, then it makes sense that when you're well and truely in a cold body of air it may be too cold to snow. All these things are relative for different parts of the world and weather seems vary, so I don't think it works worldwide. I think, I have heard the phrase backed-up by UK weather forecasters, though I imagine their actual forecasts are a little more scientific.

[memasa]

quote:"[...]But it can snow at most temperatures you are likely to find in this country."

Living next to Russia -- in Funland, ummm, I mean Finland -- I can verify that.

BTW, the coldest temperature ever measured in Finland is from 1999 (the green house effect? , place: Kittilä, Pokka, date: 28th of January.
I live southern Finland, and all I can say is that it was cold enough to freeze the balls of a brass monkey. [8D]

Welcome to Finland! It's really warm here in the summer.

[memasa]

For all the Americans, there are no polar bears here. Sorry, had to get that out of my system!

[memasa]

I forgot to add that it was -51,5 °C. Stupid me!