Loved this, Mitch! And I'm so glad you dug into what a "graupel" is, since that one leaped out at me as I scrolled down, and it seemed worth going down as a whole separate rabbit hole, with a fascinating word derivation, etc. It appears that maybe the Germans are the ones with dozens of different words for snow (although I imagine the Inuits have a bunch, too, as the old saying goes).
Thanks so much, Mark! So glad you liked the post. Yes, graupel is very cool. I saw the word comes from German for “pearl barley,” which it resembles, and some people call it “hominy snow.” I’ve only seen it rarely, usually in spring or fall. Thanks for your support!
As a Maine native, I thought I knew all about snow. Thanks, Mitch, for the page turner (page scroller?) that explains a big part of my childhood experience. I am now going to wow my friends with my new knowledge on snow crystals, and I finally know when to volunteer to shovel (I’m signing up for the “large dendrite” shift.) Great writing; I’m looking forward to more Snow News!
Thanks so much, Jennifer, I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the post! You must have had plenty of experience with snow in those Maine winters. It was fun to research this one and learn more about the weather. Thank you for your support as I get the newsletter off the ground. Stay tuned for more!
Loved this, Mitch! And I'm so glad you dug into what a "graupel" is, since that one leaped out at me as I scrolled down, and it seemed worth going down as a whole separate rabbit hole, with a fascinating word derivation, etc. It appears that maybe the Germans are the ones with dozens of different words for snow (although I imagine the Inuits have a bunch, too, as the old saying goes).
Thanks so much, Mark! So glad you liked the post. Yes, graupel is very cool. I saw the word comes from German for “pearl barley,” which it resembles, and some people call it “hominy snow.” I’ve only seen it rarely, usually in spring or fall. Thanks for your support!
As a Maine native, I thought I knew all about snow. Thanks, Mitch, for the page turner (page scroller?) that explains a big part of my childhood experience. I am now going to wow my friends with my new knowledge on snow crystals, and I finally know when to volunteer to shovel (I’m signing up for the “large dendrite” shift.) Great writing; I’m looking forward to more Snow News!
Thanks so much, Jennifer, I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the post! You must have had plenty of experience with snow in those Maine winters. It was fun to research this one and learn more about the weather. Thank you for your support as I get the newsletter off the ground. Stay tuned for more!
I can’t wait! ❄️