While many think that snow is either white or blue, its 'colors' range from yellow and orange to green and even purple, but snow is actually colorless. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, "the complex structure of snow crystals results in countless tiny surfaces from which visible light is efficiently reflected. What little sunlight is absorbed by snow is absorbed uniformly over the wavelengths of visible light thus giving snow its white appearance.
Cold-tolerant algae are small, photosynthetic organisms which grow on snow and ice in the polar and alpine regions. Different strains of algae can color the snow yellow, red, orange, brown, and green. Of course, the snow acquires its color after it has fallen. You may see snow that falls pink, brown, orange, or red, if the air is filled with dust, pollutants, or sand. Orange snow fell over Siberia in 2007 and Russia was covered in pink snow in 2010.
Snowfall Record
If you ever wondered where did the most snow fall in one year, here is the answer. Mount Baker, in the North Cascades of Washington State, holds this amazing record, a reported 1,140 inches accumulated during 1998-1999 snowfall season. It is the youngest volcano of the Mount Baker volcanic region and the most heavily glaciated of the inhospitable Cascade volcanoes. Mount Baker is for sure one of the snowiest places on earth.
Snowfall Record Within 24 Hours
The greatest amount of snow to fall within 24 hours in U.S. occurred in Silver Lake, Colorado in 1921: 76 inches of snow. Another impressive record of 63 inches was registered in Georgetown, Colorado on December 4, 1913. It can never be to cold to snow. Actually, it can snow even at incredible low temperatures "as long as there is some source of moisture and some way to lift or cool the air" (National Snow and Data Center). However, major snowfalls occur in relatively warm temperature climates. If you are curious to know how much snow falls where you live, check out the Snowfall Table provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
Snowstorms and Bombs
Did you know that a single snowstorm can drop more than 39 million tons of snow, carrying the energy equivalent to 120 atomic bombs? 'The Great Blizzard of 1888' was one of the most devastating snowstorms to hit New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. The storm dumped up to 50 inches of snow. 'The Great Snow of 1717,' 'The Washington and Jefferson Snowstorm', 'The Long Storm of November 1798' and the 'Portland Storm' are other major snowstorms that struck America.
The Fastest Half-Marathon Run Barefoot on Snow
Dutch daredevil Wim Hof holds the world record for running the fastest half marathon barefoot on snow and ice. He completed the marathon in 2 hours, 16 minutes, and 34 seconds near Oulu, Finland, on January 26, 2007. Hof's stunning abilities to withstand harsh winds, snow, ice, and freezing temperatures won him the nickname 'Ice Man.' By courageously swimming 80 meters under the North Pole ice, Wim Hof earned another Guinness World Record.
A team of 600 amazing sculptors unveiled at the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival held on December 20, 2007, 'Romantic Feelings', the world's largest snow sculpture. The Olympic Games were the source of inspiration for the staggering 656 ft long and 115 ft tall sculpture. This magnificent 'landscape' was the centerpiece of the festival opened in the Heilongjiang Province, one of China's coldest places.
The Snowflake Man
Throughout time, snowflakes have fascinated many eminent scientists and philosophers such as Rene Descartes, Johannes Kepler, and Robert Hooke, but the man who literally devoted his entire life to showing us the diversity and beauty of snowflakes is American Wilson A. Bentley (1865-1931).
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