Winters: 6 facts about this season that you need to know

The season of cold temperatures, much needed bonfires, sweatshirts and layers is upon us. The time of early morning laziness, afternoon sessions with the sun and late evening walks has now arrived. Most of us welcome winters, sitting in the rajai and sipping tea while a few others whine over the fact that they look fat in winters or become permanent patients of cold and cough. As the latter group tries to figure out their life, a few enjoy random cuddling with their blankets itself, a feeling that they usually do not get (if someone knows what this means). As you start repairing your broken heaters, we bring to you a few facts about this season to keep you a little warm.

1. Are you afraid of snow?

     You have Chionophobia – fear of snow.

“I was hit very hard with a snow ball in my childhood. I have Chionophobia.” “I met with an accident caused due to slippery roads. Now I have permanent fear of snow.” “It brings on cold sweats, panic attacks, and even an unrealistic feeling of doom and dread.” Chionophobia is the extreme dislike or fear for snow. Living with the phobia can get very difficult especially in winters or in places where snow is the way of life. Many phobics even refuse to step outdoors owing to their phobia.

2. Minus 90 degrees, like really?

     The lowest temperature recorded on earth!

The lowest natural temperature ever directly recorded at ground level on Earth is ?89.2 °C (?128.6 °F) at the Soviet Vostok Station in Antarctica, on July 21, 1983. “This happens only in Antarctica”

3. You stand up and I will bury you under the snow

      76 inches of snow in 24 hours – World Record

Single Day Snowfall Record = 76 inches (6+ feet) in USA occurred at Silver Lake, Colorado in 1921. This storm didn’t stop after 24 hours, it raged for 32.5 hours straight and ultimately left 95 inches (8 feet) of snow, which is the record for one continuous snowfall. The second largest snowfall record was also set in the United States on December 4, 1913, when Georgetown, Colorado received a staggering 63 inches of snow – more than five feet.

4. White snow?

      No boy, its colourless!

Snow, as it appears is not white, it is transparent and colourless. According to National Snow and Ice Data Centre, “The complex structure of snow crystals results in countless tiny surfaces from which visible light is efficiently reflected. What little sunlight is absorbed by snow is absorbed uniformly over the wavelengths of visible light thus giving snow its white appearance.” Snow appears white because the crystals act as prisms, breaking up the light of the sun into the entire spectrum of color. The color of snow also depends on the environment in which you live.

5. Snow and rain are different in terms of volume.

     10 inches of snow = 1 inch of rain

On an average 10 inches of snow is equal to once inch of water. The ratio of snow to water can vary a great deal depending on vertical profiles of temperature and moisture, and how they change during a storm. It can also be 3-5 inches for an inch of water or even 15-20 inches per water inch in some cases.

6. Hailstones are like onions.

     No, you can’t eat them, its just that they too have layers.

When you cut a hailstone in half, you can see rings of ice. Some rings are milky white while others are clear. Counting the layers gives an indication of how many times the hailstone travelled to the top of the storm cloud. Hailstones can damage vehicles, streetlights, buildings, crops, and can hurt or potentially kill, both people and animals.