Snow reflects most sunlight, which is why bright snowfields feel surprisingly harsh on the eyes.

The longer version

Fresh snow is one of the most reflective natural surfaces, bouncing a large share of the sunlight that falls on it back upward. The reflectance comes from the countless air gaps between ice crystals, which scatter light in all directions instead of absorbing it and turning it into heat.

Because the light is thrown back rather than taken in, snow stays cold even under strong sun. It also means the glare reaching your eyes arrives from nearly every direction across a bright field, which is why such light feels harsh and why the surface looks brilliant white.

Where this entry sits

Clouds, wind, rain, and storms shape daily life in ways that most people barely notice. This collection explains snow, lightning, rainbows, the turning seasons, temperature, the instruments forecasters rely on, and scraps of old weather lore. The full list sits on the Weather and Climate page, where every entry is listed in order.

← Entry 33 Entry 35 →

More From Weather and Climate

Eight more entries

Blizzards combine heavy snow with strong winds that reduce visibility to nearly nothing.

Thunderstorms form when warm, moist air rises quickly into colder air above it.

Hurricanes are huge rotating storms that draw their energy from warm ocean water.

Tornadoes are narrow, rapidly spinning columns of air reaching down from a storm cloud.

The calm center of a hurricane is called the eye and is surrounded by fierce winds.

Monsoons are seasonal winds that bring long wet spells to many tropical regions.

Droughts develop when a region receives far less rain than usual for a long period.

Heat waves are stretches of unusually hot days that can persist for a week or more.

Read

Try Another Subject

Three collections