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Donna VanBuecken

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First Snowfalls

November 18, 2020

One of my readers from Austria, Grete Blacha, wrote that she wanted to see the first snowfall. These are snowfalls that I definitely call my “first” snowfall.

October 26, 2020 was our first snowfall this season. Our backyard to the west.
Our backyard.
Over the swing and through the deck onto the east yard.
Our first snowfall was October 29, 2019. The west end of our backyard.
Our backyard.
The east end of our backyard and big Bur Oak tree.
On November 9, 2018 was our first snowfall. Our backyard.
Through the east window.
The pool and its Shagbark Hickory tree.

Here are some photos of the sunset, the moon rise and sunset.

On the east side of our house, the sun rose to brighten the day on January 8, 2012.
On February 28, 2019, the moon is over the south window right above our window, and it was so bright.
The sunset was spectacular on October 26, 2019.

No Two Snowflakes Are Alike

It is unlikely that two complex snowflakes would look exactly alike. All snowflakes are unique, because each ice crystal has a unique path to the ground. They will float through different clouds of different temperatures and different levels of moisture, which means the ice crystal will grow in a unique way.

Temperature and humidity — moisture in the air — impacts the shape of ice crystals. At 23 degrees, ice crystals take longer, and they are more like needles or pillars. At 5 degrees, they are flatter, like plates.

Since snowflakes are made of water, their molecular structure is H2O (two hydrogen and one oxygen atom). The water molecules look like Vs, and the snowflakes are hexagons — which means they have six sides or arms. When they line up and freeze together, they will line up in a hexagon shape. As more water molecules are added, they continue to add to the hexagon in an even way. So, the hexagon doesn’t change its basic shape, it just grows bigger! (Dickinson County Conservation Board)

 

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