Can snow evaporate?

[semper83]

Im here in the Eastern U.P. and the snow totals have decreased quiet a bit... I know that the snow pack settles and shifts around, but if it has been really cold with dry air will the snow evaporate?

 

[jd]

Yes, snow can go right from it's solid form to a gas. It's called sublimation.

I am sure there has been some snow depth loss due to sublimation in the eastern UP, but I would have to guess that most of it has been due to a warm ground when the snow started falling 2 weeks ago (causing some melting with the ground surface) and then the main reason is just settling. Most of the snow that has fallen in the past 2 weeks has been light and fluffy and compacts a lot over time. Even without new snow on top of it.

Same thing has been happening here on the west end.

-John

 

[favoritos]

I like sublimation. The driveway is steep as heck and we try to keep it clean. Scraping it down good still leaves some in the asphalt. But a few days later the remaining snow has disappeared. Sublimation is much better than a broom.