WSAZ - Blogs - Ask Josh  Ask Josh Fitzpatrick: Diamond Dust Snow
Snow without clouds? Meteorologist Josh Fitzpatrick tells you
how it forms and if it's ever too cold to snow.  Not many have
heard of diamond dust snow as it doesn't form very often in our
part of the world.   Diamond dust snow generally forms under
otherwise clear or nearly clear skies, so it is sometimes
referred to as clear-sky precipitation.  It forms when the
temperature is well below freezing.  Mostly in the teens or
below.  This form of snow doesn't fall from the usual cloud but
rather directly from the air close to the surface.  If there's
enough moisture available, the very cold temperatures will
squeeze out any moisture in the form of tiny ice crystals.  As
they fall through the sunlight, they sparkle like diamonds.
Below is a photo of diamond dust snow.  Here's another question
I often get this time of year: "Can it be too cold to snow?"
The answer is no.  As long as there's enough moisture in the
air, it can't be too cold to snow