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Snow isn’t just a hallmark of winter in North Dakota—it’s part of the fabric of our community, shaping how we play, explore, and learn during the colder months. At the Magic City Discovery Center, we love celebrating the wonders of nature, including the fascinating science behind snow. Let’s dive into what makes this winter phenomenon so magical and how it connects to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) learning opportunities for kids and families right here in Minot.
The Science of Snow
Snow forms when atmospheric temperatures drop below freezing, allowing moisture in the air to crystallize. While ground temperatures can influence whether snowflakes melt or stay intact, snow can still fall when the surface temperature is slightly above freezing due to evaporative cooling. Interestingly, snow can occur even in extremely cold conditions, provided there's enough moisture and a mechanism to lift or cool the air. Snowflakes, made of clustered ice crystals, range in size and shape, with some growing as large as 2 inches under specific conditions. Snow's iconic white color is due to its ability to reflect most visible light, and its texture can even alter how sound travels—fresh snow absorbs sound, while icy surfaces reflect it. Despite being mostly air by volume, snow's water content varies greatly, there’s probably not as much water as it looks like! (National Snow and Ice Data Center)
The Technology Helping Scientists to Measure Snow
Speaking of how much water really is in snow, NASA scientists are using some seriously cool tech to measure this so data can be used to help states that depend on the melting snow for things like farming and power! Scientists created a tool called the Snow Water Equivalent Synthetic Aperture Radar and Radiometer, or SWESARR for short, to help track this. The SWESARR instrument bounces its own radar pulses off the ground, measuring their return signal, as well as capturing naturally occurring microwave signals emitted from the snow. Scientists are then able to measure how much of the signal returns and how much is absorbed to calculate the amount of water that the snow contains. By testing SWESARR in snowy and not-so-snowy conditions, NASA is getting closer to their dream of measuring snow from space! (NASA)
The Engineering of Snow Structures
Engineering also plays a part in the winter fun. Whether you’re checking out Ice Castles in Minnesota or trying to build your own igloo in the North Dakota snow, you’re looking at the awesome powers of engineering! The igloo is a brilliant example of engineering adapted to the environment, traditionally serving as a temporary winter home or hunting base for Inuit in Canada and Greenland. Made from blocks of fine, compact snow cut with a snow knife, igloos are dome-shaped structures built in a spiral pattern, with carefully shaved blocks forming a strong, self-supporting roof. Features like a ventilation hole, a sealskin-covered entrance, and a semicylindrical passageway with storage vaults showcase thoughtful design. Furnished with a seal blubber lamp for heat and light and a caribou fur sleeping platform, these efficient, cozy structures can be built by skilled Inuit in just a couple of hours. (Britannica)
The Art Inspired by Snow
Snow has long been a source of inspiration for artists, offering a blank canvas that transforms the landscape into a world of light, texture, and subtle color. Claude Monet's The Magpie captures the beauty of sunlight and shadow on fresh snow, through what some say is the “first true Impressionist painting.” Similarly, Vincent van Gogh's Landscape with Snow shows us the quiet stillness of winter, using his bold brushstrokes and vibrant colors to bring warmth to the snowy scene. Both paintings remind us that beauty can be found in anything, even the cold!
The Math Behind Snowflakes
Have you ever heard the fact that “no two snowflakes are exactly alike” and though there’s SNOW-way that’s possible? Turns out, it really is possible. According to the Smithsonian Science Education Center, “Although snowflakes are all the same on an atomic level (they are all made of the same hydrogen and oxygen atoms), it is almost impossible for two snowflakes to form complicated designs in exactly the same way. While snowflakes can be sorted into about forty categories, scientists estimate that there are up to 10158 snowflake possibilities. (That’s 1070 times more designs than there are atoms in the universe!).”
Why Snow Matters in North Dakota
When you think of North Dakota, you might picture snowstorm after snowstorm, and while we do get our fair share, there is more to it than that. Snow plays a huge part in our North Dakota ecosystem!
According to North Dakota’s Office State Website, “Blizzards, like floods, interrupt business, endanger people’s lives, and cause great losses of livestock. However, winter snowfall is an important part of the total moisture North Dakota receives each year. After the snow melts into the ground, the moisture becomes available to help seeds sprout into crops during the summer.” So while the winter weather can get us down sometimes, we can be grateful for how it helps in the spring!
Discover More This Winter
The next time snowflakes fall, take a moment to marvel at the science and beauty they bring. Whether you’re catching snowflakes on your tongue, building a snowman, or visiting the Magic City Discovery Center, there’s always more to learn about this wintry wonder.
So bring your family to the Discovery Center to explore exhibits and activities that inspire curiosity. With our Air Forces & Outside My Window Galleries, and more, kids can engage in hands-on projects that make science come alive—even when it’s chilly outside.
Snow and cold might make North Dakota winters long, but it also makes them magical. What will your family discover this season?
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