Types of Snow

Scientists actually classify snow based on its moisture content which is the amount of free water relative to ice crystals. (not to be confused with the amount of water the snow would produce if melted.)

Snow comes in five categories

Dry (0 percent water)
Moist (less than 3 percent water)
Wet (3 to 8 percent water)
Very Wet (8 to 15 percent water)
Slush (more than 15 percent water)

By that scale, moist to wet snow is ideal for snowman building, according to Jordy Hendrikx, a snow scientist at Montana State University.

Dry snow is like a loose powder with particles that don’t stick together very well, while slush is too fluid to hold a shape.

We can think of the free water as the ‘glue.’ We need enough to stick the crystals together, but not too much. Otherwise it won't form a solid snowman.

Wet Snow

Generated in relatively warm air at -15 °C / Fall at around 0 °C
Example: Large Snowflakes (함박눈)
Large relative to Dry snow because snow crystals stick together to create snowflakes

→ Snowflakes are usually about 1cm in diameter, but sometimes large snowflakes with

a diameter of 10cm fall.

→ Snow to liquid ratio: less than 10
→ Large Snowflakes fall on relatively warm days when the temperature is not very low.

They hold a lot of water, so they are ideal for snowman building.

Dry Snow

Generated in cold air below -30 °C / Fall at around
Example: Powder Snow (가루눈)

→ It contains little moisture, so it doesn't clump up well.

→ Snow to liquid ratio: more than 20
→ Has the characteristics of flying like powder.
→ It usually falls when the temperature is low and the wind is strong.

The amount of liquid content within the falling snow determines the wetness or dryness of the snow.

If the temperature goes just above freezing point, some of the snow will melt and it will fall as a wet snow.

In the dry snow profile, the temperature is fall below freezing point, and thus the snow will have a low liquid content.