How cold does it have to be to snow?

More on cold enough to snow

Snowflakes form in cloud that is below freezing. What matters is whether they melt on the way down: a thin layer of warm air near the ground turns them to sleet or rain.

Dry air helps. When snow falls into dry air, some of it evaporates and cools the air around it, which is how it can snow at temperatures above freezing.

What I think of cold enough to snow

• Cold enough to snow: the one time everyone checks the forecast with genuine hope.

• It can snow above freezing, which explains a lot about how confident forecasts sound in winter.

• Snow at 38°F: the sky breaking its own rules to make a point.

The temperatures

Weather by name

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