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Why Is It Not Dark at Night When It Snows?

Published in Nature 1 min read

It's not that it's not dark at night when it snows, it's just that the snow reflects light, making it appear brighter than a typical night.

Imagine a dark room. If you shine a flashlight on a black wall, it will absorb most of the light, making it appear dark. However, if you shine the same flashlight on a white wall, it will reflect most of the light, making it appear bright.

The same principle applies to snow. Snowflakes are very reflective, meaning they bounce light back towards our eyes. This reflected light makes the nighttime scene appear brighter, even though it's still dark.

The amount of light reflected depends on several factors, including the intensity of the light source (like the moon or streetlights), the thickness of the snow cover, and the angle at which the light hits the snow.

This is why a snowy night can sometimes feel almost like daylight, especially when there is a full moon or other sources of light.

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