(Snowflake photos: NOAA)
The frigid weather we've experienced this winter—deep freezes [6] hit not just the northern states but the Gulf Coast states, too—is enough to have anyone wishing for spring. But before the snow gives way to tree buds, here are a few cold weather fun facts:
3: Number of North American bird species that molt into white plumage each winter to blend in with snow
30: Temperature, in degrees Celsius, colder that an Arctic bird’s feet may be than the rest of its body, to prevent heat loss
2: Estimated maximum length, in inches, of a snowflake
3.4: Average speed, in miles per hour, of a falling snowflake
514: Number of avalanches reported in 15 U.S. states, from 1950 to 1997
300,000: Cubic yards of snow a large avalanche can potentially release
1,140: Inches of snowfall on Washington’s Mount Baker in 1998, the world record for a year’s snow accumulation
181: Ski resorts that endorse Sustainable Slopes, thereby committing to make their operations more eco-friendly