Snow is frozen water that falls from the sky as soft white flakes. When water vapor high in the atmosphere gets cold enough (below 32°F or 0°C), it freezes into tiny ice crystals. These crystals stick together and grow into the delicate, six-sided shapes we call snowflakes. When they get heavy enough, they drift down to Earth.

Snow blankets the ground in winter, transforming landscapes into quiet white worlds. Kids build snowmen, have snowball fights, and go sledding. Cities deploy snowplows to clear streets after heavy snowfalls. Animals like arctic foxes and snowshoe hares have white fur that helps them hide in snowy environments.

Each snowflake has a unique pattern, though they all share the same basic six-sided structure. This happens because of how water molecules bond together when they freeze. Scientists have photographed thousands of snowflakes and never found two exactly alike.

The word snow can also work as a verb: when it snows, those flakes are falling. Heavy snow can close schools and make driving dangerous, while a light snow flurry might dust the ground and melt by afternoon. Some regions get enormous amounts of snow each winter, while others never see it at all.