{"id":4370,"date":"2024-06-06T12:43:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-06T10:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snowtrex.co.uk\/magazine\/?p=4370"},"modified":"2026-03-27T14:45:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T13:45:55","slug":"snow-lesson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snowtrex.co.uk\/magazine\/safe-skiing\/snow-lesson\/","title":{"rendered":"The magic white: a small lesson in snow for skiers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Snow is a fascinating natural phenomenon: an overnight snowfall can cover the entire landscape with a glorious white layer the next morning. Skiers and snowboarders particularly appreciate snow, of course, as there would be no winter sports without it. But SnowTrex<\/a> also knows that snow is sometimes unpredictable and harbors dangers. It is therefore all the more important to understand the phenomenon so that you can ski safely on the snow-covered slopes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\n \"Untouched<\/a>
\u00a9 Jag_cz\/shutterstock.de<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Untouched powder slopes: the dream of every freerider.<\/div>\n <\/div > \n
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\n Index\n <\/div>\n
\n Why does it snow?<\/span><\/a>Not all snow is the same<\/span><\/a>Overlooked danger: snow-covered trees<\/span><\/a>Seven unusual facts about snow<\/span><\/a>FAQ about snow<\/span><\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Why does it snow?<\/h2>\n

A lot of people believe snow is frozen water. It is, however, not that simple. Before it snows, a number of chemical and physical processes have to take place. It may not be magic, but it is no less impressive.<\/p>\n

Snow starts off as water vapour. Water on earth, e.g. from lakes or rivers, rises into the air as steam due to heat, and eventually forms clouds. The higher the steam rises, the colder it becomes and the less pressure there is in the atmosphere. As a result, the water vapour molecules are very mobile and do not bind to each other. If a cloud is cold enough, i.e. around – 12 \u00b0C, the molecules are stored around smallest dust particles in the air. The molecules consist of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, which are at a certain angle to each other. A hexagon is always formed as a result when the molecules are placed around the particles. This is how snowflakes take their typical crystal form.<\/p>\n

Water vapour molecules form at each of the hexagon’s corners until the cloud is too heavy to stay in the air and the molecules fall down as snowflakes.<\/p>\n

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\n \"\u00a9<\/a>
\u00a9 its.caltech.edu<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\u00a9 its.caltech.edu<\/div>\n <\/div > \n

The snow crystals that create these snowflakes have different forms, depending on weather, wind and temperature. There are in fact so many different options for individual crystal shapes that almost every snowflake is unique. They can, however, be classified according to their general shape.<\/p>\n

But just because the snow crystals fall does not mean it is snowing in the mountains. For that, the air must be cold enough all the way down. This means that the temperatures must be at least 0 \u00b0C. The same applies to the snow remaining on the ground: Only if the soil cover has temperatures around freezing point or colder, the snow does not melt directly when it lands on the ground. If a lot of snow falls at once, and the snow still remains on the ground even though the soil cover may have temperatures up to 5 \u00b0C. This is because snowflakes lie on top of each other quickly and the snow mass is compressed in such a way that the soil cover cools down quickly enough.<\/p>\n

Not all snow is the same<\/h2>\n

As diverse as the forms of snow crystals are, as diverse can the forms of snow and the type of snowfall be. This is particularly important for winter sports enthusiasts, because the various shapes and types of snow influence the pistes and, in part, demand specific skiing techniques.<\/p>\n

Forms of snow<\/h3>\n

Fresh snow<\/strong> is new snow that just fell to the ground and where the crystals are still intact. If skiers ski on fresh snow and the snow is not levelled by snow groomers, the winter sports enthusiasts’ rutting turn into little hills on the pistes. These can be difficult and exhausting to handle for beginners.<\/p>\n

If new snow has both a high air content and a low water content, it is called powder snow<\/strong>. Because powder snow is relatively dry, the individual snowflakes do not stick onto each other. Skiers downright glide through the snow, which is why skiing on powder snow almost feels like flying.<\/p>\n

In Japan and Canada, powder snow is particularly fine and dry, which is why it is also called champagne powder<\/strong>. Many believe it is the best snow in the world. It is very rare in the Alpine region, as champagne powder requires little wind, very cold temperatures and little humidity. These conditions are more common in Japan and North America than they are in the Alps.<\/p>\n

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\n \"Snow<\/a>
\u00a9 TravelTrex<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Snow drifts in Hakkoda, Japan … The snow in Canada and Japan is called champagne snow and is very popular among winter sports enthusiasts.<\/div>\n <\/div > \n

The opposite of dry powder snow is damp snow<\/strong>. Damp snow has, as the name suggests, a higher water content. This is why it also falls when the outside temperatures are warmer. The water makes the crystals adhere better to each other, the snow “sticks”. Therefore it is the ideal snow for snowball fights or for building snowmen. When skiing, however, damp snow means that you need more strength to move forward. You do not glide through the snow as easily as with powder snow.<\/p>\n

If it is even warmer and the snow has an even higher water content than with damp snow, it is called wet snow or slushy snow<\/strong>. Winter sports enthusiasts also call slushy snow “breakbone snow”, because a lot of effort is required to ski through it. This is why wet snow requires a special skiing technique. You stay relatively upright and centred above the ski in order to be able to cushion possible hills well. If you ski on the edge, you glide better. In wet snow caution is always advised, because entire snow plates can come loose quickly and the danger of avalanche is particularly high.<\/p>\n

Another special form of snow is crusted snow<\/strong>. This means that the upper layer of snow freezes, but the snow below that is still soft and dry. If the snow is old and forms a solid mass, this is called crusted snow<\/strong>. The icy layer requires a high level of skill on part of the winter sports enthusiasts. The movements must be soft and gentle so that the ice cover does not break and you do not fall. A good technique is to keep the skis close to each other and lean back far when skiing. This is how you keep your ski’s tips up and can ski safely down to the valley.<\/p>\n

Slush<\/strong> is a not particularly stable mixture of snow lumps and water, which is also called depth hoar or sugar snow<\/strong>. It forms due to differences in temperature in the snow cover and is dangerous for skiers, because the skis can sink in without warning. This can also result in snow slabs, which are treacherous for winter sports enthusiasts.<\/p>\n

Beyond that, there is firn<\/strong>. This is snow that is a year or more old. The special snow form is created when the finely branched ice crystals melt into larger, granular formations through repeated thawing and freezing. The larger the grains become, the more air disappears from the spaces between them, until finally impermeable firn ice is formed. Around eight meters of fresh snow develops into approximately one meter of firn. Under the increasing pressure of the overlying snow masses, firn ice eventually becomes glacier ice. This process takes several years!<\/p>\n

Far away from ski areas, in the tropics and subtropics, there is also penitential snow<\/strong>. This snow is formed in the high mountain regions when the snow piles up to high mountains.<\/p>\n

Density of snow<\/h3>\n

Depending on the form of snow, snow has a varying density. The drier the snow, the less dense it is:<\/p>\n