# Why does it feel warmer when it snows? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 28, 2009, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-feel-warmer-when-it-snows/483355 "2009-01-28T05:30:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xeroid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/e274bd/32.png) [@xeroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xeroid)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-feel-warmer-when-it-snows/483355/1 "2009-01-28T05:30:24Z")
I’ve noticed (along with others I’ve spoken to) that even though the temperature is below or at freezing when it’s snowing, that it always feels warmer than it may have felt on a day when it wasn’t snowing yet the temperature was actually higher.I do live in Washington D.C. and not in the North/Northeastern part of the US, where it potentially (or maybe not) gets so cold that this question becomes irrelevant. But, based on my personal experiences, why does it feel warmer when it snows? ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-feel-warmer-when-it-snows/483355/2 "2009-01-28T05:44:25Z")
WAG: snow might absorb less radiative heat (being white), thus making it “feel” warmer since you’re not losing as much body heat due to radiation. ---
**Author:** ![Race\_Harley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Race\_Harley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Harley)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-feel-warmer-when-it-snows/483355/3 "2009-01-28T05:57:30Z")
I could be wrong, but I would think the relative humidity would have something to do with it. ---
**Author:** ![DJ\_Motorbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@DJ\_Motorbike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DJ_Motorbike)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-feel-warmer-when-it-snows/483355/4 "2009-01-28T06:11:25Z")
Going on my own personal observation. Dry sunny days in the winter are always cold and often windy. Cloudy days are usually warmer and more likely for snow to fall. I suspect that this has something to with the moisture content in the air. The water vapor holds in heat. This applies in the summer too. Sunny breezy days with low humidity are those beautiful summer days everyone looks forward to because they are cooler. Hazy, overcast days are buggy, hot and humid. Often bright sunny days with little humidity in the summer months feel cooler. This applies in the winter too. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-feel-warmer-when-it-snows/483355/5 "2009-01-28T07:28:34Z")
Because it is warmer! Based on my lifetime in Minnesota, where we all know that on the very coldest days (like when it hit -37º 2 weeks ago), it doesn’t snow. The common saying is that “it’s too cold to snow”. In actuality, I think it has to do with humidity on those really cold days. But we certainly get more snow in March, when it is quite a bit warmer than in January. P.S. We have not had a day above freezing here so far this year. According to the forecasts, it’s likely that will hold true until sometime in February. ---
**Author:** ![Oukile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@Oukile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oukile)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-feel-warmer-when-it-snows/483355/6 "2009-01-28T07:56:32Z")
> [@DJ\_Motorbike](#): > > I suspect that this has something to with the moisture content in the air. The water vapor holds in heat. Yes. Clouds have a greenhouse effect and therefore increase air temperature. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-feel-warmer-when-it-snows/483355/7 "2009-01-28T08:20:56Z")
However the OP is comparing snow days with non-snow days that are warmer, so “it’s because it really is warmer” can’t be the answer. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-feel-warmer-when-it-snows/483355/8 "2009-01-28T08:22:55Z")
My experience is that days with snow are often still and you don’t have the windchill factor. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-feel-warmer-when-it-snows/483355/9 "2009-01-28T08:31:54Z")
Yeah, that sounds plausible. I think stillness & humidity may be giving you a slightly higher heat index. But it may just be that it seems that way because of how you remember different kinds of weather. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-feel-warmer-when-it-snows/483355/10 "2009-01-28T11:39:15Z")
It’s the higher humidity level, just like in summer that makes it feel warmer. It can snow when it’s 0F and does, so don’t say it never snows when really cold. It doesn’t snow if there are no clouds.