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What is snow?

When it gets very cold in winter, it might snow.

In this article you can learn:

  • Where snow comes from
  • Different types of snow
  • What a dendrite snowflake is
  • What slush is

This resource is suitable for weather topics for primary school learners.

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Video - What is snow?

Watch this video to find out where snow comes from and learn about different types of snow.

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Where does snow come from?

  1. The air is full of .
  2. When it is very cold, some of this water freezes into ice crystals.
  3. More ice crystals grow around these.
  4. The crystals form snowflakes.
  5. If snowflakes fall through air that is cold and dry, the snow will be powdery.
  6. If they fall through air that is wet and warmer, the snow will be wet. This is what we usually get in Scotland.

Snow, ice and frost can affect our lives and the world around us. Learn more about cold weather here: How does cold weather affect daily life?

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Snowflakes through a microscope

Look at these snowflakes.

This photo was taken using a .

Both snowflakes are very different and complicated but they both have six sides.

Two snowflakes viewed through a microscope. They both have six sides but different shapes.
Image caption,
All snowflakes are unique but they always have six sides.
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Key words

Key words about snow

  • precipitation - Any water that falls from the sky. Precipitation can be rain, snow, hail or sleet.
  • snow - Precipitation when it has reached its freezing point and becomes a solid.
  • slush - A mixture of water and snow.
  • hexagon - A six-sided shape. All snowflakes are hexagonal.
  • dendrite snowflake - A complicated snowflake that looks like it has branches like a tree. They form when it is very cold and there is lots of moisture in the air.
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Test your knowledge

Quiz

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Challenge

Challenge

Write a poem about a snowy day.

Now you know a lot about snow and where it comes from, try writing a poem about a cold winter's day.

Try to use:

  • Descriptive language
  • Similes and metaphors
  • Personification

If you need more help with poetry writing, here is a guide to help: How to write poetry.

Cold Weather Poems. video

Ratho Primary pupils wrote these great poems about the cold weather typical of the Scottish winter.

Cold Weather Poems
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