snowflakes are one of the most beautiful and amazing things in nature. Every single snowflake is different and unique, and they are all so delicate and fragile. It’s really incredible to think about how something so small and insignificant can be so beautiful.
Snowflakes form when water vapor condenses onto a dust particle in the atmosphere and freezes. The shape of a snowflake depends on the temperature and humidity conditions while it is forming. Snowflakes typically have six sides, but some can have up to 12 sides. The most common type of snowflake is called a dendrite, which has branching arms that look like tree branches.
When temperatures get very cold, sometimes snowflakes can form without any dust particles at all. These kinds of flakes are called “stellar” or “star” crystals, because they look like little stars with six points. They’re actually quite rare – most flakes you’ll see will be dendrites or other types of flakes with more than six sides.
Snowflakes usually fall from clouds that are between 5,000 and 10,000 feet above the ground (1,500 to 3,000 meters). As they fall, the air resistance slows them down so that they float gently to the ground like feathers. If you’ve ever seen a flake falling slowly through the air, you know how mesmerizing it can be! Just imagine how many billions of flakes must fall from the sky every day during a winter storm!