DAYTON — White, fresh snow is always beautiful and blinding when the sunlight hits it directly. But did you know that actually impacts the melting period?
Then life happens and we all start traveling and we start to notice the dirty snow developing with soot and grime.
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So which type of snow melts faster?
Dirty snow will actually melt quicker because of a lower albedo. Albedo is just the reflectivity of the snow. The lower albedo causes it to absorb more solar radiation. Contaminates like dust, soot and dirt absorb heat, accelerating melting by weeks.
Fresh snow reflects the sunlight! The albedo of fresh snow can reflect sunlight up to 90 percent.
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Another factor affecting snow melt is the age of the snow. As snow ages, it compresses and becomes less reflective, even without dirt. Keep in mind, grime is the main accelerator for rapid early melting.
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