How does it snow if the temperature is 37 degrees?

[Aimster]

Weather.com says snow and it says the temperature is 37 degrees. I don't get it.
It's going to be upper 30s all day and it'll be snowing.

 

[Iron Woode]

it happens for the same reason hail happens in the summer.

 

[GarlicBreath]

Is there a ski area nearby? Is it windy? Sometimes, if it's real windy, the snow made by the snow machines at the local ski area can blow to your locale.

Either that, or it's colder up in the sky, and the snow doesn't melt all the way before it lands on your nubbin head. I'm not sure...

 

[rudeguy]

I got bashed when I asked this a few years ago.

The temp is colder in the clouds.

 

[Aimster]

but wouldn't that just be flurries??

 

[Fenixgoon]

all depends on the vapor pressure of water in the atmosphere, and the temperature of the clouds

 

[Colt45]

flurry, snow, wtf is the difference.

 

[MovingTarget]

I'm about to find out..

<-- In AL, 37 degrees, about to snow...1-2 inches likely

 

[Red Squirrel]

Wow that has got to be some really crappy wet snow then. When winter is about to start we sometimes get that a few times before our real snow. Basically melts as it hits the ground.

 

[nerp]

The sky. . . . is layers.

 

[Aimster]

so the snow would melt when it hit the ground.. its not 32 degrees.. why r they predicting 1-3 inches of snow.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

http://weather.uwyo.edu/cgi-bi...100&TO=0100&STNM=72403

Here's an atmospheric sounding for Sterling, Virginia (as close as I found).

You can see how the temperature changes with height.

 

[SampSon]

Originally posted by: Aimster
so the snow would melt when it hit the ground.. its not 32 degrees.. why r they predicting 1-3 inches of snow.

Take an ice cube and put it on your floor, does it disappear immediately?
Now keep adding more and more ice cubes..

 

[nerp]

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: Aimster
so the snow would melt when it hit the ground.. its not 32 degrees.. why r they predicting 1-3 inches of snow.

Take an ice cube and put it on your floor, does it disappear immediately?
Now keep adding more and more ice cubes..

Excellent! I like this.

 

[RedCOMET]

I was going to say magic, but the other post have reasonable replies, too.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: Aimster
so the snow would melt when it hit the ground.. its not 32 degrees.. why r they predicting 1-3 inches of snow.

Take an ice cube and put it on your floor, does it disappear immediately?
Now keep adding more and more ice cubes..

Thank you, Mr. Wizard!

 

[SampSon]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: Aimster
so the snow would melt when it hit the ground.. its not 32 degrees.. why r they predicting 1-3 inches of snow.

Take an ice cube and put it on your floor, does it disappear immediately?
Now keep adding more and more ice cubes..

Thank you, Mr. Wizard!

I'm a brain surgeon by trade.

 

[amicold]

Originally posted by: Aimster
Weather.com says snow and it says the temperature is 37 degrees. I don't get it.
It's going to be upper 30s all day and it'll be snowing.

I figured it'd be obvious it's the atmosphere.

 

[fallenangel99]

global warming

 

[wiredspider]

Wind Chill, actually SampSon great example!

 

[biggestmuff]

FAIL

 

[Random Variable]

Snow at temperatures slightly above freezing requires low humidity.

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

Originally posted by: Aimster
so the snow would melt when it hit the ground.. its not 32 degrees.. why r they predicting 1-3 inches of snow.

1-3 inches of slush?

 

[Random Variable]

http://www.sciencebits.com/SnowProbCalc

 

[Ozoned]

Originally posted by: Aimster
so the snow would melt when it hit the ground.. its not 32 degrees.. why r they predicting 1-3 inches of snow.

Prolly cause they don't know if it will be 1 or 3. It's just a guesstimate.