The shape of
snowflakes is influenced by the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere.
Snowflakes form in
the atmosphere when cold water droplets freeze onto dust particles. Depending
on the temperature and humidity of the air where the snowflakes form, the
resulting ice crystals will grow into a myriad of different shapes.
The process by
which snowflakes are formed is called accretion, which simply means the process
of growth through gradual expansion or build-up. This is exactly what happens
in the clouds when snowflakes are formed.
Snowflakes fall
from the sky in the winter season when the temperatures are so low that the
moisture in the sky freezes forming ice crystals. The ice crystals in the
clouds build up together forming snowflakes that are released from the clouds
when the temperatures are low enough.
Temperature also
has a large effect on the formation of snowflakes according to Libbrecht’s
research. Snowflakes formed in temperatures below – 22 degrees Celsius (- 7.6
degrees Fahrenheit) consist primarily of simple crystal plates and columns
whereas snowflakes with extensive branching patterns are formed in warmer
temperatures.
