Fun Facts about Snowflakes -- Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Today we are walking in a winter wonderland with Penguin Kids. They asked us to share some winter fun and we chose some fun facts about snowflakes. Plus we are doing a snowflake craft round-up and sharing a winter wonderland book.

Fun Facts about Snowflakes

1. There are six main types of snowflakes: plate (flat), column, stars, dendrite, lacy, needle and capped column. The temperature and humidity level when a snowflake is formed affects the shape of snowflake. When it is extremely cold the snow tends to be very fine and powdery. When the temperature is near freezing the snowflake is usually a needle or rod shaped.
2. Each snowflake has approximately 200 snow crystals.
3. A snowflake falls at a speed of 3 to 4 miles per hour. It is estimated that approximately 1 million billion snowflakes fall every second on earth.
4. The smallest snowflakes might be the size as the diameter of human hair. The largest type measure 0.4 inches (10 mm) tip to tip. However, the largest snowflake may have been as wide as 15-inches and 8 inches thick, but these claims from a storm in January 1887 in Montana’s Fort Keough have not been substantiated.
5. It is estimated that about half the people on our planet have not seen snow in real life.
6. One inch of snow makes about 1/10 of an inch of water.
7. The most snowfall on record in the United States in a 24-hour period happened in 1921 in Silver Lake, Colorado. Between April 14 and April 15 75 inches of snow fell there.
8. On average approximately 105 snowstorms hit the United States each year.
9. In 1992 Syracuse, New York made snow illegal. The city’s Common Council passed a decree that stated any more snow before Christmas Eve was illegal. Mother Nature however didn’t agree and it snowed two days later.
10. In 1988 a scientist found two snowflakes that were exactly the same. Thus, disproving the myth that no two snowflakes are alike. The snowflakes came from a storm in Wisconsin.
11. Snowflakes are clear and not white. The light reflects on them makes them look white. Deep snow often appears to be blue. It is all about the science behind the reflection of light.
12. Every winter in the United States 1 septillion ice crystals fall from the sky. One septillion is a 1 with 24 zeros after it!
13. In 2011 22,022 residents in 130 different locations in Nova Scotia made snow angels which is the record for the most snow angels made simultaneously. In 2007, 8,962 people in North Dakota made snow angels and holds the record for the most snow angels made simultaneously in one place.
14. On January 12, 2013, 5,834 snow fighters came together in Seattle, Washington to create the largest snowball fight on record.
15. In 2008, a 122-foot tall snowman was built in Maine.

Sources:

• Fact Site. “Cool Facts about Snowflakes” (December 2009) https://www.thefactsite.com/2009/12/facts-about-snowflakes.html
• Mental Floss. “15 Incredibly Cool Facts about Snow.” http://mentalfloss.com/article/61089/15-incredibly-cool-facts-about-snow
• Six ABC Action News. “6 Fun Snowflake Facts” https://6abc.com/weather/snow-is-not-just-snowflakes-and-more-fun-snow-facts/1600701/
• Snow Crystals. “Snowflake Fun Facts” http://www.snowcrystals.com/facts/facts.html
• Soft Schools. “Snowflake Facts” http://www.softschools.com/facts/weather/snowflake_facts/3208/

Snowflake Craft Round-Up

Paper Snowflakes

1) Paper Snowflakes                                9) Bottle Top Snowflake
                                                                    from Blue Bear Wood
2) Paper Snowflakes with Templates          10) Coffee Filter Snowflakes
          from Easy Peasy Fun
3) Six-Pointed Snowflake Tutorial              11) 3-D Paper Snowflake 
          from Red Ted Art                                    from Red Ted Art
4) Snowflake Placemats                            12) 3-D Snowflakes 
                                                                      from Blue Bear Wood
5) Lego Snowflakes                                  13) Paper Quilled Snowflakes
      from Pink Stripey Socks                              from Artsy Craftsy Mom
6) Snowman Snowflakes                           14) 2nd Grade Math Factors Craft
      from Pink Stripey Socks                               from Look! We're Learning
7) Marble Painted Snowflakes                    15) Snowflakes with Blocks
         from Fantastic Fun and Learning                from JDaniel4's Mom
8) No Mess Paper Plate Snowflakes
       from Messy Little Monster

Stick Snowflakes

1) Craft Stick Snowflake

2) Button Snowflake Crafts from Red Ted Art

3) Fun and Easy Snowflake Geometry from Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

4) Tissue Paper and Twig Snowflakes from Buggy and Buddy

Paint Snowflakes

1) Watercolor Painting Snowflake       5) Painted Toilet Paper Tube Snowflakes
           from Projects with Kids                       from Mommy Evolution
2) Model Magic Snowflake                    6) Snowflake Window Clings
        from 3 Dinosaurs                                  from Schooltime Snippets
3) Relief Painting Snowflake                7) Resist Painting

4) Watercolor Snowflake
           from 3 Dinosaurs

More Snowflakes Crafts

1) Crayon Snowflakes                           8) Snowflake Candle Holder

2) Marshmallow Snowflakes                   9) Snowflake Lacing Card
                                                                   from Artsy Craftsy Mom
3) Crystal Snowflakes                           10) Fluffy Snowflakes from Tots and Me
       from Natural Beach Living                                                                
4) Glittery Snowflake Ornaments           11) Painted Snowflake Rocks
       from Projects with Kids                             from Nontoy Gifts
5) Washi Tape Snowflakes                      12) Snowflake/Frozen Ornament
     from 3 Dinosaurs
6) Beaded Snowflakes                           13) Puzzle Piece Snowflake
      from Red Ted Art                                     from A Dab of Glue Will Do
7) Epsom Salt Snowflakes                      14) Frozen Fractal Snowflake
      from One Creative Mommy

15) STEAM Project Build a Snowflake from Sixth Bloom

16) Symmetrical Snowflakes STEAM Activity from Buggy and Buddy

Walking in a Winter Wonderland Blogger Campaign

This post is brought to you by Penguin Kids! They sent us a copy of North Pole Ninjas: Mission Christmas by Tyler Knott Gregson and Sarah Linden and illustrated by Piper Thibodeau. Now I had the pleasure of reviewing this book as part of a gift set previously. 

Book Summary (from publisher): 

East meets North in North Pole Ninjas, a yuletide call-to-arms to save the spirit of Christmas.

You may not know that Santa has a team of special elves, selected for their ability to perform top-secret missions that are all about helping, giving, caring, and listening. Anyone who receives this book is called upon to help carry out those missions with a bit of stealth and an open heart. The gorgeously illustrated picture book retells the legend of the North Pole Ninjas for new recruits. Complete with 50 secret tasks for new recruits this holiday season, this is the perfect antidote to worrying about whether you've been naughty or nice.

I hope you will check it out! And in the mean time enjoy the snowflakes whether they are truly falling or you are making your own winter wonderland!