Frost vs. Snow

By Jaxson

Main Difference

The main difference between Frost and Snow is that the Frost is a coating or deposit of ice that may form in humid air in cold conditions, usually overnight and Snow is a precipitation in the form of flakes of crystalline water ice.

  • Frost

    Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor in an above freezing atmosphere coming in contact with a solid surface whose temperature is below freezing, and resulting in a phase change from water vapor (a gas) to ice (a solid) as the water vapor reaches the freezing point. In temperate climates, it most commonly appears on surfaces near the ground as fragile white crystals; in cold climates, it occurs in a greater variety of forms. The propagation of crystal formation occurs by the process of nucleation.

    The ice crystals of frost form as the result of fractal process development. The depth of frost crystals varies depending on the amount of time they have been accumulating, and the concentration of the water vapor (humidity). Frost crystals may be invisible (black), clear (translucent), or white; if a mass of frost crystals scatters light in all directions, the coating of frost appears white.

    Types of frost include crystalline frost (hoar frost, hoarfrost, radiation frost) from deposition of water vapor from air of low humidity, white frost in humid conditions, window frost on glass surfaces, advection frost from cold wind over cold surfaces, black frost without visible ice at low temperatures and very low humidity, and rime under supercooled wet conditions.Plants that have evolved in warmer climates suffer damage when the temperature falls low enough to freeze the water in the cells that make up the plant tissue. The tissue damage resulting from this process is known as “frost damage”. Farmers in those regions where frost damage is known to affect their crops often invest in substantial means to protect their crops from such damage.

  • Snow

    Snow refers to forms of ice crystals that precipitate from the atmosphere (usually from clouds) and undergo changes on the Earth’s surface. It pertains to frozen crystalline water throughout its life cycle, starting when, under suitable conditions, the ice crystals form in the atmosphere, increase to millimeter size, precipitate and accumulate on surfaces, then metamorphose in place, and ultimately melt, slide or sublimate away. Snowstorms organize and develop by feeding on sources of atmospheric moisture and cold air. Snowflakes nucleate around particles in the atmosphere by attracting supercooled water droplets, which freeze in hexagonal-shaped crystals. Snowflakes take on a variety of shapes, basic among these are platelets, needles, columns and rime. As snow accumulates into a snowpack, it may blow into drifts. Over time, accumulated snow metamorphoses, by sintering, sublimation and freeze-thaw. Where the climate is cold enough for year-to-year accumulation, a glacier may form. Otherwise, snow typically melts seasonally, causing runoff into streams and rivers and recharging groundwater.

    Major snow-prone areas include the polar regions, the upper half of the Northern Hemisphere and mountainous regions worldwide with sufficient moisture and cold temperatures. In the Southern Hemisphere, snow is confined primarily to mountainous areas, apart from Antarctica.Snow affects such human activities as transportation: creating the need for keeping roadways, wings, and windows clear; agriculture: providing water to crops and safeguarding livestock; sports such as skiing, snowboarding, and snowmachine travel; and warfare. Snow affects ecosystems, as well, by providing an insulating layer during winter under which plants and animals are able to survive the cold.

Wikipedia
  • Frost (noun)

    A cover of minute ice crystals on objects that are exposed to the air. Frost is formed by the same process as dew, except that the temperature of the frosted object is below freezing.

  • Frost (noun)

    The cold weather that causes these ice crystals to form.

  • Frost (noun)

    Coldness or insensibility; severity or rigidity of character.

  • Frost (noun)

    The act of freezing; the congelation of water or other liquid.

  • Frost (noun)

    A shade of white, like that of frost.

    “color panel|ECFCFC”

  • Frost (noun)

    A disappointment; a cheat.

  • Frost (verb)

    To cover with frost.

  • Frost (verb)

    To become covered with frost.

  • Frost (verb)

    To coat (something, e.g. a cake) with icing to resemble frost.

  • Frost (verb)

    To anger or annoy.

    “I think the boss’s decision frosted him a bit.”

  • Frost (verb)

    To sharpen (the points of a horse’s shoe) to prevent it from slipping on ice.

  • Snow (noun)

    The frozen, crystalline state of water that falls as precipitation.

  • Snow (noun)

    Any similar frozen form of a gas or liquid.

  • Snow (noun)

    A shade of the color white.

    “color panel|F9F5E6”

  • Snow (noun)

    The moving pattern of random dots displayed on a television, etc., when no transmission signal is being received.

  • Snow (noun)

    Cocaine.

  • Snow (noun)

    A snowfall; a blanket of frozen, crystalline water.

    “We have had several heavy snows this year.””

  • Snow (noun)

    A square-rigged vessel, differing from a brig only in that she has a trysail mast close abaft the mainmast, on which a large trysail is hoisted.

  • Snow (verb)

    To have snow fall from the sky.

    “It is snowing.”

    “It started to snow.”

  • Snow (verb)

    To hoodwink someone, especially by presenting confusing information.

  • Snow (verb)

    To bluff in draw poker by refusing to draw any cards.

Wiktionary
  • Frost (noun)

    a deposit of small white ice crystals formed on the ground or other surfaces when the temperature falls below freezing

    “the lanes were glistening with frost”

    “it is not unusual for buds to be nipped by frost”

  • Frost (noun)

    a weather condition or period of cold weather in which deposits of frost form

    “there have been several sharp frosts recently”

    “following two or three nights of hard frost, my garden is a wreck”

  • Frost (noun)

    a person’s cold or unfriendly manner

    “Caroline was shocked to hear the frost in her brother’s voice”

  • Frost (noun)

    a failure

    “even the state soirĂ©es were a frost”

  • Frost (verb)

    cover (something) with or as if with frost; freeze

    “shop windows were still frosted over”

  • Frost (verb)

    become covered with small ice crystals

    “no one has managed to stop outdoor heat exchangers frosting up during winter”

  • Frost (verb)

    damage or otherwise affect as a result of frost.

  • Frost (verb)

    decorate (a cake or biscuit) with icing

    “the cake Mama had just frosted”

  • Snow (noun)

    atmospheric water vapour frozen into ice crystals and falling in light white flakes or lying on the ground as a white layer

    “we were trudging through deep snow”

  • Snow (noun)

    falls of snow

    “the first snows of winter”

  • Snow (noun)

    a mass of flickering white spots on a television or radar screen, caused by interference or a poor signal

    “all that they could pick up on their screens was snow”

  • Snow (noun)

    a dessert or other dish resembling snow

    “vanilla snow”

  • Snow (noun)

    a frozen gas resembling snow

    “carbon dioxide snow”

  • Snow (noun)

    cocaine.

  • Snow (verb)

    snow falls

    “it’s not snowing so heavily now”

  • Snow (verb)

    be confined or blocked by a large quantity of snow

    “I was snowed in for a week”

  • Snow (verb)

    mislead or charm (someone) with elaborate and insincere words

    “they would snow the public into believing that all was well”

Oxford Dictionary

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