To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. Types of Snow: Back in the Dark Ages when I was in high school, I had an English teacher who prodded us to stretch our vocabularies by telling us that Eskimos have more than a thousand words for snow. Actually, it now turns out to be nine. It somehow felt believable at the time, because we throw around a seemingly infinite list of words for our winter wonders. We have numerous names based on the shape of the flakes, the rate of accumulation, the way it collects on the ground, and who is using it. They range in shape from the individual snow crystals and puffball-like snowflakes, to graupel and hail. Depending on the degree of visibility, there are flurries, snow showers, squalls, blizzards, and ground blizzards. Skiers, boarders, and snowmobilers categorize snow as corn, crust, crud, slush, powder, packed powder, granular and ice. While this does accomplish the goal of stretching our vocabulary, it is way too complicated. My recommendations are: • A one-through-five ranking system for snow consistency based on the ability to make a snowball. • A three-tier visibility system: - I can’t see the car in front of me - I can’t see my hood ornament - I’m probably on someone’s lawn • The cat method for snow accumulation: When you put your foot down, does it sound like you stepped in the cat’s water bowl, the litter tray, or on its squeaky catnip toy? page 46 Right: A bizzare combination of flames and snow adorn the Old Pink, an iconic Allen Street bar