How Does Snow Form?

The formation of a snowflake's structure happens in relation to what temperature(s) it is exposed to and how it falls once it gets heavy enough. Snowflakes form in clouds when the temperature is below the freezing temperature (0°C or 32°F). They first begin to form around little pieces of dirt or pollen that are blowing around in the sky. As the crystals grow bigger, they get heavier causing them to fall down to the ground. "Different types of snowflakes form in different conditions. Temperature [and humidity/supersaturation] determines if the crystals become a flat plate, a long column, or a prism shape" (Snowflakes). Not all of these types of snowflakes resemble a fractal, however a plate that grows out to be a dendrite (a perfect snowflake) is the most fractal-like. See Figure two below to see what Temperature and Supersaturation/Humidity affect how the different types of snowflakes are made₁₀.

Use the following links to explore more of the mathematics of Snowflakes and Fractals!