Recent Articles from FoBR Newsletters

Think Snow

I am a snow lover. As far as I'm concerned there is no point in it being cold if it's not going to snow. We have now gone six years without a really good snowstorm and I propose that we all go outside periodically and do a snow dance.

Now, for the non-snow-lovers, you might be thinking, "What good is snow? It just makes it a pain to get anywhere." Well, I am about to tell you why you should be a snow lover as well.

Snow adds to our groundwater, which, after the drought we've been having, is reason enough. This year marked the lowest flow on the Potomac since record keeping began in 1930, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Average monthly stream flow was 52 percent below normal. We will need an exceptionally wet winter to fully replenish the groundwater supply. Three to nine inches of additional precipitation (that is, in addition to our normal precipitation) is needed to end the drought, according to the Climate Prediction Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Although 10 inches of snow usually equals only one inch of rain, snow is better for replenishing our groundwater. Rain will run off into streams and lakes before all of it can be absorbed into the ground, while snow stays in place and seeps in slowly. In addition, our deciduous tree-dominated landscape is mostly dormant at this time of year so trees will not steal any water away. So we should all hope for BIG snowstorms.

For all you fellow gardeners out there, snow will protect those Zone Seven perennials that might be on the borderline between Zones Six and Seven. The forecasters at NOAA are predicting a very cold winter this year, so plants that breezed through the last several winters may have a hard time in this one. Snow is a great insulator because it is basically "fluffy water." All those little six-sided ice crystals, piled up, trap air like a down comforter for the ground. Snow is also the ultimate soaker hose as it slowly melts, thereby keeping the plants properly watered.

The beauty of snow, on its own, is enough of a selling point for me. If you have a hand lens, or better yet, a low-power microscope, take it outside and have a close-up look. Each of those snow crystals is a work of art. Because of the molecular structure of water, hexagonal prisms with growth facets are formed. These hexagonal prisms, with two basal faces and six rectangular prism faces, may be "plate-like" or "column-like," depending on temperature. With a little research you can find a wealth of information with pictures of the different types of crystals, such as simple sectored plates; dendritic sectored plates; fern-like stellar dendrites (my favorite name); hollow columns; and needle crystals.

Snow also makes a great substrate for animal tracks. You can follow the trail of a fox or maybe discover that there has been a bear in your own backyard. Even bird prints are suddenly apparent on a white blanket of snow.

Besides all of that, snow is just plain fun. Who doesn't like to build a snowman or have a snowball fight? If you haven't done it in a while, you should try it. It can provide a workout as well as a mood booster. Take a snow day, like you did when you were a kid. In the meantime, think snow!