As the end of the year approaches, snow starts to drift into people's minds.
But not all snowfall is alike, and today we will break down what makes your snowfall wet and slushy and what makes it dry and powdery.
A little backstory about me: I have lived in the South my whole life and can count the number of times I have seen significant snowfall.
Even the threat of a chance of snow can cause Atlanta to close down and people to buy all the bread and toilet paper, for some reason.
For us living in the South, snow is slightly more elusive, but for you northerners, you may already be sick of it.
Slushy Snow For The South (Usually)
Across the South, if we ever get snow, most often it's a gross, slushy snow.
And while snow is snow and slushies remind me of my childhood, there are actually some reasons for southern snow to end up like that: temperature and humidity.
Slushy snow is often formed with temperatures around freezing, which allows water to mix into the snow more, leading to slush.
This mix of water makes the snow heavier and less fun for the snowball fights we all dream of. And hey, I guess the snowball would travel faster, but please don't hurt your friends.
Here's how humidity plays a role: when you have higher temperatures, air can hold more moisture, and as a result, you can get wetter snow falling.
That's why I picked the South for the winner of the superlative, "Most likely to see wet, slushy snow."
Powder Is King
Now for the opposite and a dream-come-true for you light, fluffy snow lovers out there.
Fluffy anddrysnowfall is best created under 20 degrees. Because colder air can hold less moisture, you get snowfall just like in the movies.
Places that see more snowfall and experience snowfall under 20 degrees (mainly for everyone not in the South) have a much higher chance of seeing the light, fluffy snowfall that dusts off cars and is fun to make snow angels in.
Most people think of the Rockies when they think of fluffy snow, and for good reason. The conditions are perfect for this type of legendary snow.
All About The Snow Ratio
If you have heard of this term, you probably love winter sports or just winter in general, which I don't.
The brief explanation is that the snow ratio is the ratio of snow to water. A general rule of thumb is the ratio of 10:1, which means that every 10 inches of snow is equal to 1 inch of liquid water.
So where do these snowfalls I just described land in the snow ratio?
For light, fluffy snowfall, you want a higher snow ratio. This means that it takes 15 to 20 inches of snow to equal that 1 inch of water.
In other words, fluffy snow is drier.
For wet snow, the same amount of snow has a lot more water, which pulls the snow ratio down. To put it simply, one inch of liquid water means less snow.
Why Does It Matter?
Types of snowfall matter for different passions. Light, fluffy snowfall is easier to dust off a car, so it is easier, should you live in a city.
But another example: It's preferred for skiers and snowboarders. Light, fluffy snow makes it easier to almost float on top of the snowfall and get less resistance, while wet snowfall has a lot of drag and can slow you down.
If you have wet snow, you are going to have a bad time.
Rob Shackelford is a meteorologist and climate scientist at weather.com. He received his undergraduate and master's degrees from the University of Georgia studying meteorology and experimenting with alternative hurricane forecasting tools.
