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That said, some of my favorite snowstorms have been the wet ones. Snowfall rate is the number one thing I use to judge a snow event (be it lake effect or system snow), and nothing's better than seeing huge snowflakes fall at 2"+ per hour rates
I agree that it is a unique phenomenon seeing huge snowfall rates with the humongous snowflakes. This sort of wet snow also has the "thickest" look to it....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cambium
One reason I like Dry snow is this:
WHITEOUT WONDERLAND. Especially with wind.
...but nothing can compare to the picture Cambium posted. Whiteouts are far easier with the driftable powder, and when coupled with strong winds there's nothing better. Plus huge snowdrifts are easier to create with dry snow. Really, if I had to choose one to have exclusively over the other I'd pick dry snow but in my dream climate I'd have both occurring; however in my dream climate powder is dominant, and is usually the only form of snow in the actual winter months. I'd like my wet snow to be more prevalent in Spring and Autumn. Just because I like powder better doesn't mean I wouldn't want to have some of the wet stuff as well .
Quote:
My other reasons:
So much easy to shovel, snowblow, and plow.
Skiing and Snowmobiling.
Wet snow means its mostly water which tends to melt quicker.
Dry snow means temps are in the 20s and below. :-)
Less power outages and property damage with dry snow.
Snow does stick to trees with dry snow if you get enough of it or theres little wind.
I agree with all of your reasons. Wet snow sticks to trees (and people!) a lot better than dry snow, but it is worth pointing out that dry snow can also stick on trees to a lesser extent. I just don't like my snow to be so sticky; I prefer it to blow around objects and settle on the ground with some drifts, preferably in huge quantities. In response to the winter wonderland comment, I think the winter wonderland aspect is far better for me with dry snow than wet snow; the feel of it as well as the driftable aspect, and the much colder, more wintry temperatures that are associated with it. Not to mention the possibility of ice fog. Sure, the classic winter wonderland image features wet snow sticking to trees, but that doesn't hold a candle to powder, high drifts, and cold temperatures.
It's also worth pointing out that you get more bang for your buck with dry snow as opposed to wet or slushy snow - the same amount of moisture is converted into twice as much snow with powder. This is due to the snow ratios being typically 10:1 for wet stuff, 20:1 for powder, and 5:1 for slush. So if you have an inch of moisture, that could yield 5 inches of slush, 10 inches of wet snow, or 20 inches of powder. It could be said that dry snow is more "efficient". Since I also prefer dry conditions and low humidity to start with, my preference for powder is like a shoo-in .
..Whiteouts are far easier with the driftable powder, and when coupled with strong winds there's nothing better. Plus huge snowdrifts are easier to create with dry snow.
I'll never forget Post Christmas Blizzard here. 972mb Low near Long Island winds gusted to 60 mph. Plows had major issues because of the snow blowing right back onto the road. It was whiteout conditions even when the snow had stopped. Snow ratios were between 10-15:1
Dry snow- skiing doesn't get much better than waist deep powder, with a moisture content below 5%. Frost dried powder is also very nice. I used to ski a lot of that where I worked (on the peaks above the top chairlifts). A week or more of cold temps, with very low relative humidities, produces some of the best snow imaginable. Corn snow (spring snow) from repeated freeze/thaw is also a lot of fun, although it doesn't have to fall as wet snow, I get a few days of that in spring, on the nearby peaks- hike up, ski down, drink beer, repeat until exhausted.
Wet snow isn't a lot of fun from a skiers perspective, but it is "character building"
Wet snow can wreak havoc on the planted vegetation on the Colorado Front Range since it usually comes in spring or fall when the winter deciduous, non-native trees are still leafed out. Plus it's much heavier to shovel. Dry snow is light, feathery, and really sparkles when the sun is out and the sky is deep blue. I really can't think of anything good about wet snow.
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Especially with wind.
Plows had major issues because of the snow blowing right back onto the road. It was whiteout conditions even when the snow had stopped. Snow ratios were between 10-15:1
