Snow Rise

Living way high atop the city in a high-rise apartment has its advantages.

I can see the whole world from my home – from the lake in the south to high-rise office towers in the north, I have the best view in the city.

I am so high up, that I can – and do – go out on my balcony sans clothes – no one can see up here. I’m too high for even the cleverest of peeping toms. I think – gulp!

I also see weather. It is really amazing to watch as a storm front comes rolling on in. I usually see the storms about 15-30 minutes before they get here – which is probably more accurate than the local weather station!

I’ve noticed something too – snow falls UP.

Really – it does.

As I sit and type this, the snow is flying up – not down.

Or at least it looks to be flying up – it really is falling down, but at this height I’m actually inside the snow cloud. So, I’m seeing the snow rotate within the cloud prior to its decent to earth below.

All snow is, are tiny water droplets that combine together when frozen into flakes – hence the term “snowflake.”

These snowflakes are created when the water droplets rotate within the wind pattern of the cloud. As they get tossed about through the colder air, they freeze and other water droplets “stick” to them. As they continue to stick, they form the various snowflake patterns – that’s why they are so random. The more frozen water droplets, the heavier the snowflake becomes, until it gets too heavy to be carried by the cloud’s wind. That’s when the snowflake falls down, through the cloud and eventually to earth.

The life of a snowflake – pretty cool uh?

And I get to see snowflakes being made, from the comfort of my own home. I love living up high in the clouds!