Why Is Snow White

Water is clear, and ice is clear, so why is snow white? Snow is made of tiny ice crystals with many surfaces and edges. When light hits the snow, it bounces around between all those surfaces. All colors of light scatter equally, and when all colors mix together, we see white.

How Snow Scatters Light

Each snowflake is made of ice crystals with many flat surfaces. When sunlight enters the snow, it bounces from surface to surface inside the snowflake. Different colors of light bounce around in random directions. Because all colors scatter equally in every direction, the snow looks white to our eyes.

When Snow Is Not White

Snow can sometimes look blue or pink. Deep snow or glaciers can look blue because red light gets absorbed more than blue light in thick ice. Watermelon snow is a pink or red color caused by tiny algae that live in the snow. Dirty snow can look gray or brown from dust and pollution.

Fun Facts

• Fresh snow reflects up to 90 percent of the sunlight that hits it.
• Snow can look blue in deep crevasses and ice caves.
• Pink snow, called watermelon snow, has been found on mountains and in polar regions.

Did You Know?

Snow is actually a great insulator. Animals like mice and voles tunnel under the snow to stay warm in winter. The snow traps air and keeps the temperature underneath much warmer than the air above!