Snow in the world

Getting to see snow for the first time ever is one of the best things anyone could experience, however, not everyone has access to snow, or lives in a natural snowy place.

For those people like you, who want to see the snow for the first titurkeme, or for those who simply love snow too much and want to make sure they visit every snow place on Earth, we’ve got you covered.

We are fans of snow ourselves, and we understand what it feels like to wanting to travel during your vacations and wanting to spend some time on the snow, enjoying the incredible views.

That’s why we have created this website, to help YOU know everything you could possibly need to know about snow, and we mean absolutely everything there is.

But that’s definitely not everything that we do, we are so much more than a webpage that just tells you if it snows in a place or not, we go above and beyond that and provide you real, useful information of all of these cities and regions.

This way, you can learn so much more about these beautiful places. Not only you’ll find out whether does it snow or not, but you’ll be able to learn about so much more.

We have tons of information regarding the climate and weather of each region, we talk about their average temperatures throughout the year, the different seasons each one experiences, and whether or not they get snow during the winter time (if they have winter at all, of course).

Not, not only you will get to know when does it snow, but also where. Since most countries don't necessarily experience snowfalls all over their territory, we have take on the task to find out where does it snow, and which ones are the snowiest places in all of the region.

To sum it up quickly, in this website you’ll find information about:

This way, you can have all the information you might possibly need in a single place, instead of having to visit webpage after webpage just to find out if it snows or not in one specific country.

But, enough talking about what you can find in here, and let’s talk a little bit more about what we really like: snow! So, that being said, it is time to take a look at the five different continent and find out if it snows (or not) in there.

Snow in the world

Does it snow in America? ❄

America, one of the biggest five continents in the world, and perhaps one the most climate diverse. With countries like Brazil, the United States, Argentina and Panama all coexisting in the same region.

Now, does it snow in America? It does, however, due to the very unique location of many countries located in the continent, not all of them get snow, and some get them in very specific regions.

You see, America is divided in three sections: North America, Central America and South America. Of course, countries in North America, such as Canada and the US get snow almost in every state, however, the situation changes as you move down to Central and South America.

For example, there are countries such as Venezuela, Chile and Argentina that do get snow during their winter time, however, they don’t get snow all across the country, but instead in very specific regions. Or places like Uruguay, that gets extremely cold during the winter season, and yet, it doesn’t snow at all.

It is worth to mention than although it does snow in America, and it is likely you’ll encounter snow in most of these countries, keep in mind this continent is known for having some amazing beaches as well, especially in the countries located in the Caribbean Sea. So, you might be lucky to experience both snow and sea during your trip.

Does it snow in Europe? ❄

Europe, the most romantic, emblematic continent in the world, also known as the "old" world and home of Spaniards and British who colonized half of the world, including the American continent.

Although this continent is emblematic, the truth is, is reliable small, especially when you compare it to America and Asia, two huge and impotent continents that cover up a great portion of the earth.

Without a doubt, there are many impressive things about Europe, but there’s nothing like their diverse climates and sub climates, and how it varies greatly from country to country, even when they are all so close together to one another.

As to whether does it snow in Europe, the answers is yes, it does. If anything, most European countries are very well known for experiencing snow falls during winter time, some countries even having snow torments during the year.

However, as it happens with America, Europe doesn’t get snow in every single one of their countries, although it does in the majority of them, like Germany, Russia, and Spain, for example.

It is worth to mention that winters in Europe tend to be more severe than in most countries in America, and some European nations are known worldwide for their incredible snow season.

Does it snow in Asia? ❄

If America is the new world and Europe is the old one, then Asia must definitely be recognised as the ancient world. With their mysterious countries and unique culture, this continent can steal your heart in a matter of seconds.

Like we mentioned before, America was one of the biggest continents, however, Asia takes the very first spot, being the biggest and most populated continent in the whole world.

The thing with Asia, is that it’s right next to Europe, however, it isn’t considered as part of their continent due to remarkable difference in their culture and traditions.

As to whether does it snow in Asia, the answer is yes. As a matter of fact, Asia has one of the pretties snowy places on Earth, with many countries experiencing this natural phenomenon every year.

However, same thing happens as with most of the continents, meaning not every Asian country experiences snow, although most of them does, it isn’t necessarily in the most extreme way, with some only having very light snow falls during the year.

Believe it or not, Asia is similar to America in that sense, since they also have some very stunning and incredible beaches, meaning you can experience both snow and sea in the same country, if you pick wisely.

❄ Does it snow in Africa? ❄

Africa, one of the most amazing continents in the whole world. With a culture so rich, a past so intriguing, and a future that is still in working process, this continent is really enigmatic, that’s for sure.

This continent is also labeled as the third most extense continent in the world, of course, after Asia and America. Also, much like it happens with the American continent, Africa is divided into different sections.

Countries like Egypt,  Nigeria, South Africa and Somaly are just some of the most recognized African countries that are located in the continent, of course, just to mention a few.

As to whether or not does it snow in Africa, the answer is yes, but not like you might think. You see, unlike Europe and part of America, Africa is a very hot continent, with very high temperatures most of the year.

These high temperatures make it almost impossible for snow to appear in most countries of the continent, however, this doesn’t mean snowfalls are impossible, because they actually happen in the African country.

However, don’t expect these snowfall to happen in regular places, since snow only appears on the highest regions of these countries. So, if you’re looking forward to see some snow while you’re in Africa, get prepared to climb!

Does it snow in Oceania? ❄

Last, but definitely not least, we have reached the last of the five continents, Oceania. This is, by far, the smallest continent in the whole world, composed in its majority by the country of Australia.

Places like Fiji, New Zealand and multiple different island composed this little but very important continent that seems to be so far away from the rest of the world.

It might seem rather unlikely that snow could happen in such a tiny continent that’s mostly taken by a country that is known worldwide for their incredible blue and sunny beaches.

But truth be told, it does snow in Oceania, whether you believe it or not, this continent also experiences snow, although not with as many frequency and in the same levels that other countries in the world do.

Snowfalls and snow in general are a weird and unique phenomenon in the region, but they have happened before, and they keep on happening now a days, with sporadic snow falls occurring during the coldest months.

However, it is always nice to remember that Oceania, specially Australia, is very well known worldwide for being a country with beautiful beaches, so, if you’re looking for heavy snowfalls, then this might not be the right place for you.

Does it snow in Antarctica? ❄

When most people think about Antarctica, they think about snow, but does it snow in Antarctica?

The answer is yes. Antarctica does get snow, but not in the same way as most other places around the world. In Antarctica, snow is a form of precipitation, but it usually falls in the form of snow crystals, or ice pellets, instead of the fluffy flakes we are used to seeing in other parts of the world.

Snowfall in Antarctica is usually light, with some areas receiving only a few inches per year, while other parts can get up to several feet of snow.

However, the snow in Antarctica is not like the snow we are used to seeing in other parts of the world. Because of the extremely cold temperatures, snow in Antarctica is very dry and powdery, and tends to be quite fine in texture. This type of snow is called dry snow, and is relatively light and fluffy.

What is snow?

Now that we have talked about where does it snow, if it snows in all of the continents, and in which countries does it really snow, it is time to talk about the main thing keeping us here: What is snow?

Believe it or not, we tend to see this beautiful natural phenomenon, but don’t worry enough to find out what it actually is, how it is form, why it happens, what shape it has and more.

So today, right now, we are going to take on the very first and most important question: what is snow? Now, it is very likely you might have an idea, but let’s take a look at the actually definition.

Let’s start by mentioning snow and rain are very similar natural phenomenons, at least when it comes to the way they are created. Specially when you consider snow is basically frozen rain.

That’s the main reason why, in much meteorolgie centers, they consider both snow and rainfalls when calculating the average yearly precipitation of each country.

That being said, snow is nothing but ice crystals that precipitate or fall from the clouds of the temperature is just right. Like we said, it is extremely similar to rain, only this time the water particles have frozen.

To be more specific, snow forms in the atmosphere during suitable conditions (meaning the necessary low temperatures). Up there, water particles in the clouds froze, transforming into ice crystals that precipitate down to earth.

Just like it happens with rain, these ice crystals are pretty much millimeter size, meaning they are extremely tiny, but since they accumulate once they land on earth, they can take quite some space.

It is important to mention that, even when snow itsells is extremely small, the truth be told, it can take various different forms, from hexagonal shapes needle-like shapes.

As to what happens when the snow finally hits the ground, well, you might be a little bit disappointed. You see, since the temperatures tend to go high again, snow tends to melt away.

Usually, snowflakes will fall from the clouds and accumulate for a couple of hours, days or weeks (if the temperatures are low enough) on the streets. But they will eventually melt away, most of the time acting as a recharger for groundwater.

If the temperatures are really, really low, for a long period of time, then a glacier might form. Of course, we don’t see this in most places where snow happens, because there are very few places on Earth where this kind of natural phenomenon actually exists, but again, it is possible, and it can definitely happen.

It is important to mention, of course, that snowfalls aren’t always as dramatic and intense as people would like them to be. Actually, in countries that don’t experience such a severe winter, they might get snow overnight, but it is very likely it will be melted by the time the morning comes.

Why does it snow?

Now that you know what snow really is, it is time to talk about just why does it snow? Why does this natural phenomenon happen, and how can we know when it will snow?

Well, if you were paying attention before, you might already know the answer to this particular question. But if you weren’t, don’t worry, we are going to explain it to you right now.

You see, the reason why it snows it’s due to the low temperatures in the atmosphere. Meaning once the temperatures drop to a certain level, snow simply happens.

There’s no real reason as to why exactly does it snow, it just happens when the temperatures drops, and what was supposed to be regular rain, suddenly becomes in a beautiful, unexpected snowfall.

This is exactly the reason why it doesn’t snow everywhere in the world: because not every country is geographically located in a place where the temperatures can drop low enough to experience some actual snowfall.

How cold does it have to be to snow?

Now, keeping this in mind, it’s likely you are wondering how cold does it have to be to snow? And the answer might be a little bit more surprising than you might have expected.

You see, a lot of people tend to believe that it has to be 32 °F (0º C) or lower for there to be snow, but that’s not actually the truth, at least not entirely, since it has been proven than the average temperature for there to be snow can be around 35,6 °F (2º C), and it doesn’t necessarily has to be under 32 °F (0º C).

Of course, this average temperature should be able to maintain for at least a day, otherwise, the snow will melt away very quickly the minute the temperatures start to rise up again.

So, if you’re wondering how cold does it have to be snow, the answer is about 35,6 °F (2º C), but the really important thing is that this temperature should be able to maintain itself during a long period of time, so people can actually see and experience a proper snowfall.

This is the exact same reason why places like the North Pole, Alaska and certain parts of Russia experience such heavy snowfalls: not only do they have very low temperatures during the winter time, but these temperatures tend to last days, if not weeks.

Actually, Russia has become famous for how cold it can get in certain regions of the country, and the incredible snowfalls that usually occur there, ocassionanting lots and lots of snow to hit the ground and quickly accumulate.

However, this won’t happen in other countries that aren’t able to experience such low temperatures for such long times. Instead, the rest of these countries tend to experience a much more normal and short snowfall during the winter time.

So far you know what snow is, why does it snow, and how low the temperatures have to be for snowfalls to occur, however, it is time to be more specific, and talk about how exactly does snow forms.

How does snow forms?

Again, if you have been paying attention, it’s likely you have already picked up on how does snow really forms. But if you haven’t, that’s okay we promised it isn’t too much of a complicated process, if anything, it’s pretty similar to how does rain happens.

As everyone knows now, snow is made of water, the same water that comes with rainfalls, which means, snow is technically frozen rain. However, the process of how this snowfall happens is much more complicated.

You see, when the temperatures are low enough, the water particles in the clouds transform into ice crystals. Like we mentioned before, these ice crystals are actually really tiny, they are millimeter big.

Since they are so tiny, they don’t fall through the clouds, but rather stay up there, floating. So, you might ask, if they are so light and tiny, how do they fall to earth?

Well, for snowfall to fall, these tiny ice crystals should get together, forming what we know as snowflakes. It is during this moment, when ice crystals stick together than they begin to drop down.

It is important to remember that, yes, snowflakes themselves are mostly tiny, but they will never be as tiny as ice crystal, since they are made of even more tiny, microscopical ice crystal that due to the high temperatures, have stick together.

So, it its during this moment that the snowflake is actually heavy enough to drop to the ground, and there you have it! Suddenly it is snowing and everyone is incredibly happy!

How course, this leave us with an even bigger question: how big can snowflakes actually get since they are composed of a lot of ice crystals out together? How big can they actually get.

Well the thing is, although we would to tell you there could be gigantic snowflakes going around, the truth is not that. You see, since snowflakes begin to fall once they’re heavy enough, they all tend to be really small.

So small, you won’t be able to see their unique pattern on your own at first view. It is there, but it is so tiny, it’s very likely you won’t be actually able to see it, although you can always try!

However, there are exceptions, and there have been several cases of snowflakes getting as big as 5 inches! Which might not seem like a lot at first sight, but for something that’s usually around 0.5 inches, it’s quite a lot!

Of course, with snowflakes so big, it is very likely you’ll be able to see its unique pattern! Remember, not one snowflake is similar to another, and they are all beautifully different!

Snow Facts

So far we have talked about snow in each one of the continents, we have talked about what snow actually is, why does it snow, how cold does it have to be for snow to happen, and how snow is form.

And as interesting as all of those questions might be, it is time to talk about something more fun, and that is snow facts. You see, although talking about snow is fairly easy, there are still some misconceptions we definitely need to talk about.

Now is your time to sit down and enjoy, because in this section we are going to talk about very fun stuff while also answering some of the most common questions regarding snow… Ready? Let’s go!

Does it snow over the ocean?

This question has been surrounding the mind of many people during many years, probably due to the misconception that it can’t snow on big bodies of water (meaning, the ocean).

However, that’s nothing more than a misconception, since the truth be told, it can and it has snowed over the ocean! You see, snow falls on big bodies of water is actually possible, and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be possible at all.

Then, yes, it does snow on the ocean, but not in every part, not at the same time, and definitely not the same way that it does on firm land.

For example, if the temperatures are low enough and the conditions are right, it can snow over the ocean. However, these snowfalls tend to be shorter than usual, and snow doesn’t "sit" as it would do on the ground, but rather just melts away on the sea.

Like we have said multiple times, snow is very similar to rain, and like it, snow can happen over the ocean if the temperatures are just right, however, don’t expect it to last too long, because it won’t.

Does it snow at the beach?

We know, the words "beach" and "snow" don’t really go together, do they? But we have to touch on this particular matter, since many people seem to have the huge doubt about whether or not does it snow at the beach.

Sadly, the answer is no, it doesn’t snow at the beach as many people might think it does. It is true however there are certain natural phenomenons that make it seem as if there could be snow on the beach, but that isn’t snow, those aren’t crystallize water drops.

The main reason why it doesn’t snow on the beaches is because, typically, temperatures at the beach or near the coastal zones tend to be higher than in the rest of the regions.

Although it isn't common to see snow at the beach, this strange phenomenon still happens in some very specific beaches around the world, and it can be seen when the temperatures are really, really low. So yes, it might be something unique to experience, but it does happen.

Does it snow in space?

Does it snow on Mars? Does it snow on Pluto? What about Venus? Does it snow metal on Venus?... These are just some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to snow and the space.

You see, it has been proven by scientifics that, as a matter of fact, there are planets other than ours that experience snowfalls! For example, planets like Mars and Pluto do experience snow, however, they do so on a different way than on Earth.

It is not a secret that the climatic conditions on space are drastically different to the ones we are used to here, which of course contributes to the fact that rain and snow aren’t experienced in the same way.

Does it snow on Mars?

When it comes to Mars, the red planet does experience sudden burst of snow, however, it rarely makes to the ground, melting way before it manages to touch on solid ground.

Does it snow on Pluto?

As to Pluto, it is quite different, since the little planet has been confirmed to be one of the very few planets that get to experience snowfalls in a similar way that we do here on Earth.

Does it snow metal on Venus?

Of course, there’s also Venus, a planet that does experience snow falls… Instead they aren’t crystallized water particles, but actually metal, meaning their snowfalls are made of metal particles.