SnoW

[mupepe]

Need help to define the difference between DRy snow and Loose snow!
Performance charts offer loose snow computation (unfactored ldg dist.) and I've dry snow offered in snowtam !
Snowtam not talking about loose snow....is there any difference between both ?
thanks

[Golden Rivet]

You cant build a snowman with dry snow.

[alexban]

DRY SNOW- A dry snow has little to no liquid water content thus this snow will be less dense than average. Less dense meaning there will be a lot of air pockets between the snow crystals. Dry snow is not sticky and thus it is difficult to make snowballs with it and the wind blows it around substantially even after reaching the surface. The ratio for dry snow will be greater than 10:1. In extreme cases it can be 30:1 or greater. Dry snow occurs when the temperatures throughout the troposphere are well below freezing and the surface temperature is below freezing. Since dry snowflakes are less sticky they are less inclined to stick together as they fall, thus a dry snow will often be composed of a large number of small snowflakes.

Loose snow-snow with very poor internal cohesion between snow crystals.It can be wet or dry loose snow, depending on the outside temperature.If present in mountainous area it will cause avalanches.It is also very easy blown by the wind on a horizontal surphace.

[call100]

Keeping it simple. When we report snow conditions for runways we use the following.
Dry Snow...Can be blown if loose or if compacted by hand will fall apart. (Not good for snowballing).

Wet Snow...If compacted by hand will stick together. (Good for snowballing).

Compacted Snow...Compressed snow which resists further compression and holds together or breaks up into chunks. (Good for building igloos).

Slush...A water saturated snow which, with a heel and toe slap down action with the foot against the ground, will be displaced with splatter.
Hope that helps...