How Temperature Affects Snowflake Types and Snowfall Accumulation

Snowflake Formation and Temperature

• 🌡️ Temperature is a critical factor determining the type of snowflakes that form and fall during winter storms.
• ❄️ Thin plates are ideal for making snowballs and snowmen due to their higher moisture content, allowing them to pack together.
• 🌬️ As temperatures drop, the type of snowflake changes, with more air incorporated into the flakes, making them less packable.

Snowfall Accumulation and Mixing

• 📈 Snowfall rates can increase significantly, with some areas reporting 2 inches in Chattam and potential for 2-3 inches in other locations.
• 🌊 The phenomenon of mixing can occur, where precipitation changes from snow to rain, particularly in coastal areas like parts of the Jersey Shore.
• 📉 Mixing not only reduces the total snowfall accumulation but also alters the type of snow received compared to colder inland regions.

Storm Progression and Future Concerns

• 🏙️ Snowfall is expected to intensify between 8 AM and noon, with banding filling in and increasing snowfall rates, even in urban areas.
• ⚠️ A warm push aloft and at the surface can lead to precipitation changing to rain, especially in areas like Ocean County.
• 🥶 Following the snow and mixing, colder air will return, leading to concerns about refreezing moisture, which can create hazardous conditions.
• 🏔️ Large snow piles in northern areas are expected to persist due to the prolonged cold temperatures.