Thursday, January 27, 2011

Snowflakes and such


We're suffering together this wet winter weather. But it can be beautiful as well as an inconvenience! When water molecules freeze, hexagons form. Their molecular bonds form the six-sided snowflakes. Snowflakes are among nature’s loveliest things. These flakes are unique, no two alike. In air that’s more humid, or drier, different shapes grow: needles, columns, and plates form and can be alike, not so unique. Other forms of precipitation: Sleet’s just a raindrop that froze on its way down. Wet rain that falls at supercooled temperatures and then freezes on surfaces is freezing rain. And of course, plain old rain also fell on Wednesday morning. Rain is melted snowflakes!

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