The Winds of Winter

Now that the number of distinct snow experiences I've had is approaching double digits (that is, the number of isolated incidents in which I've experienced snow is now more than five but still less than ten), I feel like I can speak with some authority on the subject.

In short, snow is pretty, and best admired from afar. Similar to tigers, pyrotechnics, and spider webs.

In person, snow is most similar to spider webs (to use the given examples), although that chill you feel when you're forced to touch it comes from something other than dread about what created it. In fact, you were probably already chilly before you even got near the snow. The snow itself is colder than the air that surrounds it, though. Don't underestimate it.

In fact, the temperature of snow is really at the heart of why I would consider it an undesirable substance, which is unfortunate since its temperature is what defines its nature. It's not allowed t warm up even for a moment, since that would cause it to melt. If snow melts and then freezes again it becomes just regular ice, which isn't nearly as impressive. I see ice all the time. In face, if you open your freezer right now, I'm betting there's a good chance you'll find ice in there. Go ahead, I'll wait.

See? Not very impressive. Not nearly as pretty as snow, either.

Snow also has a tendency to just be dangerous, it turns out. It can cover your car, for instance, which makes driving considerably more dangerous since snow is fairly opaque.

Actually I think that's about it as far as the dangers of snow. There are plenty of other dangers about the ice that snow can become, but I'm not going to blame snow for what happens when it's not snow anymore. That seems unfair somehow.

Also, there are dangers associated with the cold but, again, that's not directly tied to snow. It can be cold without snow and all those dangers would still be present.

So, that's what I've learned about snow: it's pretty, but painfully cold to touch, and maybe kinda dangerous if you don't knock it off of your windshield before you drive.

I hope that was educational.