Snowflakes

The world’s largest recorded snowflake fell on January 28 of 1887 at Fort Keogh, Montana.   Matt Coleman, a rancher who witnessed the flake falling, measured the snowflake at 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick.

Really, the giant flake was—as big flakes are—a collection of many ice crystals and flakes clustered together.  Such monster flakes are somewhat fragile and assemble in unusually calm conditions.

Snow is a fascinating phenomenon as a starting point.  Snowflakes form when water molecules caught up in clouds transform directly from water vapor gas to solid ice, bypassing the liquid phase.  If unmolested by wind and wrestling matches with liquid water, flakes will form stunningly complex and symmetrical crystals.

While video chatting with Desiree, I noticed some gorgeous flakes landing on the brick ledge outside my sunroom windows.  “I have something to show you,” I told her.  I trotted outside and trained the camera on a few of the flakes.

“Oh.  Wow!” Desiree gushed.  She captured a few screen shots.  “I thought the drawings I saw of snowflakes were just…artwork.”

“Nope.  They really are beautiful little sculptures.”

Desiree and Snowflake

Single Snowflake

—Mitchell Hegman