"Len Watts" wrote in message
...
The other thing I would like to know is why was it snowing here with a
temperature of +3c when had it have been January, it would have been rain
at that temperatuure.

I have noted this on a number of occasions, in other words it never seems
to have to be so cold for spring snow as it does for winter snow. Anyone
out there know the reasons why?


Whether precipitation will fall as snow depends more on the average
temperature of the air in which the precipitation is falling through
(related to the 1000-500mb thickness), rather than the surface temperature.
If the 100-500mb thickness is 516dm and the surface temperature is 5C then
precipitation is likely to be snow but if the thickness is 534dm and the
surface temperature is 2C then the precipitation is more likely to be rain.

It also depends on the humidity. If the air in which the snow is falling
through is fairly dry then as the snowflakes melt they will evaporate which
cools the surrounding air and retards the rate of melting.