10 Wonderful Winter Weather Facts

With the winter season in full swing, here are some little known winter weather facts!…

• Snow isn’t white! It is actually clear and refracts the entire colour spectrum as sunlight passes through it. Our eyes cannot detect this and so we see perceive it as being white.
• Every snowflake is completely unique – each one has a different pattern, similar to human fingerprints.
• 12% of the entire world’s water is frozen in ice or snow.
• The world’s largest snowman was actually a snow woman constructed in Bethel, Maine. Reaching a final height of over 122 feet, ‘Olympia’ was recorded in the Guinness book of records in 2008. She was so big that her arms were made from trees!
• Another winter world record was recorded in Canada when 15, 851 snow angels were made at the same time.
• ‘The Winter Blues’ is a genuine syndrome. In clinical terms it is named Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and sufferers display symptoms once a year at the same time. The symptoms include hypersomnia, anxiety and decreased activity. The condition can be treated with anti-depressants!
• Another psychological condition brought on by winter is Chionophobia – the fear of snow! Symptoms range from cold sweats to full on panic attacks.
• Although Spring is associated with the start of new life, there are actually some species of flowers that bloom solely in winter! One such flower is the Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger).
• Due to increased activity from geomagnetic storms, the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) are viewable much more often. If you’d like to visit any of the countries where they are particularly visible such as The North Pole, winter is the time to maximize the experience and this winter is expected to be the most breath-taking display of the phenomenon in the last ten years.
• Due to their evolutionary ability to slow their metabolism, many animals can hibernate right through winter and avoid the harsh weather!