Snowflakes

"The snowflake is one of the many reasons why I believe in the creator. There's just no amount of convincing that'll ever make me believe this just happens so perfectly by the chaos effect." ~Travis Huffman

Mr. Huffman is the parent of a former student.  One of those parents who doesn't mind me keeping up with his child through social media.  This kid was a bright eyed ball of nerdy energy.  The perfect combination for lots of exasperation and LOADS of fun.  Someone I could always count on for a hug.  I still miss that little guy and all his compadres.  (That's what he called his friends.)  Ok, back to the snowflakes.

 I found it to pretty much sum up my feelings on the delicate, intricate, and divinely designed jewels of winter.  Each one unique, each one sparkling with the light of hope and wonder.  Much like we're supposed to be.  I don't have any profound thoughts or observations about them.  I think I'll use various images from the internet and let God show his artisanship along with some nerdy info: 

Amazingly, snowflakes always have six sides and similar to the human fingerprint, no two snowflakes are ever exactly the same. Both the form and shape of a snowflake depends on the temperature and moisture content of the cloud. Snowflakes can be categorized into six main types, plate (flat), column, stars, dendrite (lacy, needle, and capped column. When it is extremely cold the snow is very fine and powdery and snowflakes become quite simple in design, usually needle or rod shaped. When the temperature is near to freezing point (0 degrees Celsius), snowflakes become much larger and a lot more complex in design. (I can't remember where this info. came from.)

 

The Fun Times Guide.com says: 

Snowflakes are really ice crystals that are formed in the clouds by water vapor.
When the atmosphere’s temperature dips to below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, moisture changes to ice.
Snowflake formation is affected by a variety of factors including air currents, humidity and temperature.  Particles of dirt that were trapped in the water vapor affects the weight and durability of the ice crystals.  Because of these extenuating factors, no two snowflakes are exactly alike — though there is no scientific reason that prevents it. Snowflakes may look the same but will not have the same number of water molecules or the exact amount of oxygen and hydrogen.


 Here's a fun site for more information on types of snowflakes:  http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/class/class.htm
(Nerdy enough for you?)

 

 Wilson Bently captured 5,000 snowflakes and finding no two identical. After that he wanted the world to know just how unique snowflakes were.  He wrote over 60 articles and books and was eventually dubbed The Snowflake Man.  Here is a link to the official site on him:  http://snowflakebentley.com/index.htm  I encourage you to visit.



 



 

 Scientists study snowflakes by spreading a chemical compound over a glass plate and waiting until a snowflake lands there. The compound immediately covers the snowflake and hardens. When the snowflake melts, it leaves behind a plastic case that shows its exact structure!

 

The largest snowflake recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records fell at Fort Keogh, Montana and was 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick.  When combined, windblown snow and black dirt make what is called snirt. A snow storm becomes a blizzard when visibility is under 1/4 mile and the storm continues for more than 3 hours with winds of 35 mph.  Stampede Pass, Washington averages 430 inches of snow per year. No wonder it’s known as the snow capital of the United States!



 

I have observed real snowflakes only twice in my long years.  They just don't happen often in my warm climate.  I will be forever in awe of their fleeting beauty and His eternal wonder.