In order to snow it takes cold time, but then it is said "why it cannot snow because there is too cold".

2000/11/15 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Klima

The time to snow certainly needs cold. But in addition, the atmosphere needs enough moisture to cause snow, and the colder the atmosphere the less moisture it will have.

As it ascends the earth's surface, the air cools and thus loses moisture. This humidity is collected forming clouds and by joining the mini-drops of the area rain occurs. However, if it is very cold, these very small drops freeze: at a temperature of about zero degrees ice crystals are joined and snowflakes are formed.

However, when the cold is too intense, the union of the crystallines is more complicated and we should say that piñoncillos fall than the snowflake. When the temperature drops a lot, the atmosphere releases moisture very easily, even if it has little moisture.

Therefore, although clouds are very easy to produce, due to their low humidity, precipitation is more difficult. When the temperature drops to -20ºC it is almost impossible to snow.

Therefore, the colder, the smaller the flakes and at that temperature of -20ºC no copo occurs.