What is a drifting snow? Main features

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:45

The word snow drift is not often used in conversations and communication, but it is regularly found in fiction and even songs. Take, for example, the children's musical work by Filipenko to the words of Volgina: “The sledges themselves are running, the snow is spreading …”. What phenomenon is the author describing? For those who do not know, our information will come in handy.

What does drifting snow mean?

The word drifting snow is the same root as the word earth, and already from this it is clear that this phenomenon is somehow connected with the surface of our planet. Many dictionaries use the term "bloom" to explain what a blowing snow is. To make it clearer, the cold wind, blowing over the surface of the soil, lifts the snow masses to a small height, circles them, creating a kind of air turbulence. Sometimes gusts of wind can be directed in one direction for a long time, then the snow follows the air masses more evenly, forming small snowdrifts and covering hollows and ravines.

Distinguishing Features

Drying is one of the varieties of a snowstorm. Here you need to understand the main difference. To understand what a blowing snow is, it is enough to know that this phenomenon occurs when there is no snowfall. The remaining varieties: snowstorm, blizzard, snowstorm are accompanied, in addition to gusts of heavy wind, by precipitation. A blizzard is especially dangerous, dragging on for several days. Severe blizzards cause tangible damage to the economy, often felt by the agricultural industry: the wind can blow snow from the fields, exposing winter crops.

Dirty snow in the city and in nature

Inhabitants of cities, especially megacities, may not even know what a blowing snow is, and not notice it. This phenomenon is much less common here than in open areas

spaces. Firstly, numerous high-rise buildings and other buildings interfere with the wind. Secondly, a large number of passers-by passing through the streets simply crush the snow into the ground. Thirdly, the dust of the city is mixed into the precipitate, the snow becomes heavier, and the wind force capable of lifting it must be greater. Outside the city, these factors are expressed to a much lesser extent, so the inhabitants of villages and villages are well aware of what a blowing snow is. For a person, it does not pose a danger, for forest dwellers - large and small - usually too. Everything in nature is relative though. If a snowdrift swirls with snow and sprinkles traces of an unlucky mouse or hare, then the life of the animal will be saved. Without footprints in the snow, it is more difficult for a fox to find hidden prey;use only one sense of smell. But the cheat itself can be left without dinner. In winter, especially when snow and frost prevail, food in the forest is a big problem. And it is not a fact that a fox, a wolf or any other hunter will be able to survive. But a snowstorm is much more dangerous than a “bloom.” Therefore, we will consider a light snowfall a pleasing natural phenomenon.