How do you make snow?
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Goldsboro, NC
How do you make snow?
It hasn't snowed here for couple years, not more than a few flurries anyway. If it gets cold enough, I want to make some snow! Can you make snow by using a power washer to spray cold water? If so, how cold does the water and outside temp need to be?
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: N. Mississippi
From what I remember about snow, each snow crystal forms around a particle of dust. I doubt spraying water in the air would do it. If the air is cold enough, ice will form.
Snow forming is complex in that the crystals fall and rise and build up enough "body" to overcome garavity and wind and thus fall to earth.
Maybe someone else with more knowledge will jump in here.
For the record, I would love to see at least 6 or more inches of snow fall here as we haven't had any in a few years.
Snow forming is complex in that the crystals fall and rise and build up enough "body" to overcome garavity and wind and thus fall to earth.
Maybe someone else with more knowledge will jump in here.
For the record, I would love to see at least 6 or more inches of snow fall here as we haven't had any in a few years.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Cornelius, Oregon
snowflakes are, as drumman said, ice crystals. To form them I assume you would need water vapor in the air, not just droplets.
I think any form of spraying water would just form either hail or freezing rain, since you already have droplets of water. Maybe if you could find a way to truely atomize the water molecules and you had a way to keep them seperate until crystals formed you might be able to do it. I would assume at that point you would need air that is below 32 degrees and water that is right at the freezing point, say 32.1 degrees.
I think any form of spraying water would just form either hail or freezing rain, since you already have droplets of water. Maybe if you could find a way to truely atomize the water molecules and you had a way to keep them seperate until crystals formed you might be able to do it. I would assume at that point you would need air that is below 32 degrees and water that is right at the freezing point, say 32.1 degrees.
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From: Location, Location.
Snow forms when you have the right combination of temperature and relative humidity. So just being below freezing isn't enough. But under the right conditoins, you might get a little snow from your jet washer....
Modern snow-making equipment at ski-resorts actually mix air into the water as it's sprayed, to get fluffier or wetter snow.
You can buy snow making equipment intended for home owners, but they're thousands of dollars.
Modern snow-making equipment at ski-resorts actually mix air into the water as it's sprayed, to get fluffier or wetter snow.
You can buy snow making equipment intended for home owners, but they're thousands of dollars.
Posting Guru
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From: N. Mississippi
Senior User
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go to this site
http://backyardblizzard.com/?gclid=C...FQcLGgod4Tc9Ow
If you search google you can find sites that have instructions on making you own with a pressure washer and an air compressor.
http://backyardblizzard.com/?gclid=C...FQcLGgod4Tc9Ow
If you search google you can find sites that have instructions on making you own with a pressure washer and an air compressor.
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: colorado
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Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Lafayette, IN
Pressure washer, air compressor, some well-placed fittings, appropriate wet-bulb temperature, and you're good to go. Here's a site with some generic plans (and some fittings that are helpful):
http://www.snowathome.com/
Jason
http://www.snowathome.com/
Jason
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Posting Guru
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From: Northern Massachusetts
New User
Joined: Jan 2008
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I just made... and sent .....a whole crapload of snow through the American midwest.
Read this thread
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...some-snow.html
Checkout Colorado and a little east.
You'll have to wait your turn
Read this thread
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...some-snow.html
Checkout Colorado and a little east.
You'll have to wait your turn
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,680
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From: Montreal Canada
Originally Posted by fred_79f250
You can buy snow making equipment intended for home owners, but they're thousands of dollars.
Last edited by websthes; Dec 22, 2006 at 01:08 AM.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
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You could try one of those mist generators that are used on fans.
Like Item# 250737 at http://www.northerntool.com/
I have seen some units that were combined with a high velocity fan and sprayed a column of mist from the center of the fan also.
Like Item# 250737 at http://www.northerntool.com/
I have seen some units that were combined with a high velocity fan and sprayed a column of mist from the center of the fan also.