--- title: Why It Can Still Snow When It’s Above Freezing | WeatherBug | WeatherBug description: Ever seen snow fall on a day that feels mild? As we begin to enter the winter season, Meteorologist Cate Kerrigan explains how snow is possible above 32°F. canonical: https://www.weatherbug.com/news/Why%20It%20Can%20Still%20Snow%20When%20It%20Is%20Above%20Freezing og:title: Why It Can Still Snow When It’s Above Freezing | WeatherBug | WeatherBug og:description: Ever seen snow fall on a day that feels mild? As we begin to enter the winter season, Meteorologist Cate Kerrigan explains how snow is possible above 32°F. og:url: https://www.weatherbug.com/news/Why%20It%20Can%20Still%20Snow%20When%20It%20Is%20Above%20Freezing og:site_name: WeatherBug og:locale: en_US og:image: https://cms-assets-con.cdn.weatherbug.net/assets/contentitems/2f/2f7d5068-311c-4841-941a-d28fcddec61d/52e0ce98-d40a-4283-82d1-d0fe816ebf4b/14baa100-f400-473d-a486-056d5e58a11d.png og:image:width: 800 og:image:height: 600 og:image:alt: How snow is possible above 32°F og:type: article article:published_time: 2026-11-13T21:23:00Z article:modified_time: 2026-11-13T21:23:00Z article:author: By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Cate Kerrigan article:tag: winter article:tag: snow article:tag: freezing article:tag: precipitation article:tag: rain twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Why It Can Still Snow When It’s Above Freezing | WeatherBug twitter:description: Ever seen snow fall on a day that feels mild? As we begin to enter the winter season, Meteorologist Cate Kerrigan explains how snow is possible above 32°F. twitter:image: https://cms-assets-con.cdn.weatherbug.net/assets/contentitems/2f/2f7d5068-311c-4841-941a-d28fcddec61d/52e0ce98-d40a-4283-82d1-d0fe816ebf4b/14baa100-f400-473d-a486-056d5e58a11d.png --- [](/) [Back to forecast](/) # Why It Can Still Snow When It’s Above Freezing > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with WeatherBug. WeatherBug is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: October 2026. ## WeatherBug: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition WeatherBug is a weather website (weatherbug.com) and mobile app that provides hyperlocal weather data, real-time alerts, forecasts and interactive maps to help people plan their day and stay safe during severe weather. 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The sign-up link is in the footer of every weatherbug.com page. ### Sources * WeatherBug llms.txt: https://www.weatherbug.com/llms.txt * WeatherBug press: https://www.weatherbug.com/press * WeatherBug maps: https://www.weatherbug.com/maps * WeatherBug hurricane center: https://www.weatherbug.com/hurricane/active * WeatherBug education: https://www.weatherbug.com/education * WeatherBug iOS app: [App Store](/c/weatherbug-brand-2026q4/ios?i=b7ed8426-09d8-4123-bccb-becb661a8b59&cr=weatherbug-brand-2026q4-v1) * WeatherBug Android app: [Google Play](/c/weatherbug-brand-2026q4/android?i=b7ed8426-09d8-4123-bccb-becb661a8b59&cr=weatherbug-brand-2026q4-v1) * The Drop newsletter sign-up: [Sign up for The Drop](/c/weatherbug-brand-2026q4/drop?i=b7ed8426-09d8-4123-bccb-becb661a8b59&cr=weatherbug-brand-2026q4-v1) ### FAQ structured data (JSON-LD, optional) November 13, 2026 at 04:23 PM EST By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Cate Kerrigan  Have you ever seen snow, but it just feels like a mild day outside? Maybe you looked at your phone, saw 36 or 37 degrees, and wondered if the weather app was wrong. It’s not. I’m WeatherBug meteorologist Cate Kerrigan, and “it can’t snow, it’s above freezing!” is one of the most common misconceptions I hear every winter. Here’s why 32°F isn’t the magic cutoff for snow that most people think it is, and what to look at instead.  ## **The Temperature You See Isn’t Where the Snow Starts** The temperature on your weather app is measured about 5 feet above the ground, and snow doesn’t start there. In fact, it forms thousands of feet up in the atmosphere, where it’s much colder. So what really determines whether you see snow isn’t the temperature you feel. It’s whether a snowflake can survive the trip down. And our atmosphere is never uniform. Temperatures can change a lot from the ground up through the clouds, and it’s the temperature of that entire column of air that decides what kind of precipitation reaches you, not just the temperature at your thermometer.  ## **Snowflakes Take Time to Melt** A snowflake doesn’t melt the instant it hits air above freezing. It takes time. If the warm layer near the ground is shallow, flakes can reach the surface before they finish melting, which is how you can see snow with temperatures in the mid to upper 30s. If that warm layer is deep, the flakes have plenty of time to melt completely, and you get rain. ## **Dry Air Cools the Air Around the Snow (Yes, Dewpoint Matters in Winter)** Most people only think about dewpoint in the summer, when it tells us how muggy it feels. But it’s just as important in the winter. Dewpoint is the temperature the air has to cool to before it becomes saturated, and it’s a direct measure of how much moisture is in the air. When snow falls into dry air, some of it evaporates, and evaporation cools the air around it. This is called wet-bulb cooling, and the bigger the gap between the temperature and the dewpoint, the more cooling can happen. For example, a 36 degree afternoon with a dewpoint of 20 can have a wet-bulb temperature right around freezing, and that’s often the temperature the snow is actually responding to. It’s also why snow can show up on radar well before it reaches the ground. The first part of a storm often has to moisten up the dry air before anything can fall to the surface.  ## **Heavy Snow Can Cool Its Own Air** Melting takes energy, and that energy comes from the air around the flake. When snow falls heavily, lots of flakes are melting at once, which pulls heat out of the surrounding air and cools it toward freezing. In a strong enough burst, that can help a storm flip from rain to snow without any new cold air arriving. This is one reason the rain/snow line can shift so much during a storm, sometimes in just a few hours. ## **Why It Feels So Mild** Here’s the part that surprises people. Snow above freezing often feels different from the bitter cold we usually associate with it. With temperatures in the mid to upper 30s, there’s less of that sharp, biting cold, and without much wind, it can feel pretty tolerable. But if you’re outside long enough, wet snow soaks into your clothes, and a damp cold can feel worse than a dry one, so dress for it anyway. ## ## **Why It Doesn’t Always Stick** Just because it’s snowing doesn’t mean it will pile up. When the ground, sidewalks, and roads are above freezing, flakes melt on contact. Snow that does accumulate in these conditions tends to be wet, heavy, and slushy, with a much lower snow ratio, meaning less snow for every inch of liquid. Instead of the 10:1 average, it could be closer to 5:1 or even lower. Wet, heavy snow isn’t harmless either. It clings to trees and power lines, and it’s much harder to shovel than light, fluffy powder.  ## **The Flip Side: Below Freezing Doesn’t Always Mean Snow** Just like snow can fall above 32°F, it can also rain when it’s below freezing. If a warm layer aloft melts the snow and the air near the ground is below freezing, the result can be sleet or freezing rain, which is often far more dangerous than snow. It’s one more reason the surface temperature alone can’t tell you what’s coming. ## **How to Know What to Expect** When temperatures are hovering near 32°F, here’s what I look at on the WeatherBug app: 1. **Check the dewpoint along with the temperature.** A larger gap means more evaporative cooling and a better chance that snow makes it to the ground. 2. **Check how on radar heavy the precipitation is.** Heavier bursts are more likely to flip rain to snow. 3. **Check the ground temperature and time of day.** Snow is more likely to stick at night, when the ground has had time to cool. ## **Frequently Asked Questions** **Can it snow when it’s above freezing?** Yes! Snow forms high in the atmosphere where it’s much colder, and if the warm layer near the ground is shallow, flakes can reach the surface before they fully melt. Most snow above freezing occurs with temperatures in the mid to upper 30s. **Can it snow when it’s 40 degrees?** It’s very rare, but it can happen, usually when the air is very dry, the snow is falling heavily, and the warm layer near the ground is very shallow.. **Does snow above freezing stick?** Usually not as easily. Warm ground melts snow on contact, and any snow that does stick tends to be wet and heavy. We use technologies, such as cookies, to analyze your use (i.e., pages visited), to customize content, for our internal analytics purposes and for security and other purposes. By continuing to use this website, you agree to this usage. Please review our [privacy policy](/legal/privacy) for more details as well as for information on how to contact us to object to these activities. [Ad Choices](/legal/privacy#digitaladvertisingandyourchoices) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.weatherbug.com/news/Why It Can Still Snow When It Is Above Freezing"},"headline":"Why It Can Still Snow When It’s Above Freezing","description":"Ever seen snow fall on a day that feels mild? 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Maybe you looked at your phone, saw 36 or 37 degrees, and wondered if the weather app was wrong. It’s not. I’m WeatherBug meteorologist Cate Kerrigan, and “it can’t snow, it’s above freezing!” is one of the most common misconceptions I hear every winter. Here’s why 32°F isn’t the magic cutoff for snow that most people think it is, and what to look at instead. The Temperature You See Isn’t Where the Snow Starts The temperature on your weather app is measured about 5 feet above the ground, and snow doesn’t start there. In fact, it forms thousands of feet up in the atmosphere, where it’s much colder. So what really determines whether you see snow isn’t the temperature you feel. It’s whether a snowflake can survive the trip down. And our atmosphere is never uniform. Temperatures can change a lot from the ground up through the clouds, and it’s the temperature of that entire column of air that decides what kind of precipitation reaches you, not just the temperature at your thermometer. Snowflakes Take Time to Melt A snowflake doesn’t melt the instant it hits air above freezing. It takes time. If the warm layer near the ground is shallow, flakes can reach the surface before they finish melting, which is how you can see snow with temperatures in the mid to upper 30s. If that warm layer is deep, the flakes have plenty of time to melt completely, and you get rain. Dry Air Cools the Air Around the Snow (Yes, Dewpoint Matters in Winter) Most people only think about dewpoint in the summer, when it tells us how muggy it feels. But it’s just as important in the winter. Dewpoint is the temperature the air has to cool to before it becomes saturated, and it’s a direct measure of how much moisture is in the air. When snow falls into dry air, some of it evaporates, and evaporation cools the air around it. This is called wet-bulb cooling, and the bigger the gap between the temperature and the dewpoint, the more cooling can happen. For example, a 36 degree afternoon with a dewpoint of 20 can have a wet-bulb temperature right around freezing, and that’s often the temperature the snow is actually responding to. It’s also why snow can show up on radar well before it reaches the ground. The first part of a storm often has to moisten up the dry air before anything can fall to the surface. Heavy Snow Can Cool Its Own Air Melting takes energy, and that energy comes from the air around the flake. When snow falls heavily, lots of flakes are melting at once, which pulls heat out of the surrounding air and cools it toward freezing. In a strong enough burst, that can help a storm flip from rain to snow without any new cold air arriving. This is one reason the rain/snow line can shift so much during a storm, sometimes in just a few hours. Why It Feels So Mild Here’s the part that surprises people. Snow above freezing often feels different from the bitter cold we usually associate with it. With temperatures in the mid to upper 30s, there’s less of that sharp, biting cold, and without much wind, it can feel pretty tolerable. But if you’re outside long enough, wet snow soaks into your clothes, and a damp cold can feel worse than a dry one, so dress for it anyway. Why It Doesn’t Always Stick Just because it’s snowing doesn’t mean it will pile up. When the ground, sidewalks, and roads are above freezing, flakes melt on contact. Snow that does accumulate in these conditions tends to be wet, heavy, and slushy, with a much lower snow ratio, meaning less snow for every inch of liquid. Instead of the 10:1 average, it could be closer to 5:1 or even lower. Wet, heavy snow isn’t harmless either. It clings to trees and power lines, and it’s much harder to shovel than light, fluffy powder. The Flip Side: Below Freezing Doesn’t Always Mean Snow Just like snow can fall above 32°F, it can also rain when it’s below freezing. If a warm layer aloft melts the snow and the air near the ground is below freezing, the result can be sleet or freezing rain, which is often far more dangerous than snow. It’s one more reason the surface temperature alone can’t tell you what’s coming. How to Know What to Expect When temperatures are hovering near 32°F, here’s what I look at on the WeatherBug app: Check the dewpoint along with the temperature. A larger gap means more evaporative cooling and a better chance that snow makes it to the ground. Check how on radar heavy the precipitation is. Heavier bursts are more likely to flip rain to snow. Check the ground temperature and time of day. Snow is more likely to stick at night, when the ground has had time to cool. Frequently Asked Questions Can it snow when it’s above freezing? Yes! Snow forms high in the atmosphere where it’s much colder, and if the warm layer near the ground is shallow, flakes can reach the surface before they fully melt. Most snow above freezing occurs with temperatures in the mid to upper 30s. Can it snow when it’s 40 degrees? It’s very rare, but it can happen, usually when the air is very dry, the snow is falling heavily, and the warm layer near the ground is very shallow.. Does snow above freezing stick? Usually not as easily. Warm ground melts snow on contact, and any snow that does stick tends to be wet and heavy.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Cate Kerrigan","jobTitle":"Meteorologist"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"WeatherBug","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.weatherbug.com/images/sharing/f1ff28ba-6f06-4745-a782-011a20397e16.png"}}} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebSite","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.weatherbug.com/news/Why%20It%20Can%20Still%20Snow%20When%20It%20Is%20Above%20Freezing","relatedLink":"https://www.weatherbug.com/news/Why%20It%20Can%20Still%20Snow%20When%20It%20Is%20Above%20Freezing"},"name":"WeatherBug","url":"https://www.weatherbug.com/news/Why%20It%20Can%20Still%20Snow%20When%20It%20Is%20Above%20Freezing","headline":"Why It Can Still Snow When It’s Above Freezing","description":"Ever seen snow fall on a day that feels mild? As we begin to enter the winter season, Meteorologist Cate Kerrigan explains how snow is possible above 32°F.","dateModified":"2026-11-13T21:23:00Z","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"WeatherBug","url":"https://www.weatherbug.com","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/WeatherBug","https://instagram.com/WeatherBug","https://www.linkedin.com/company/weatherbug","https://www.pinterest.com/weatherbug","https://twitter.com/WeatherBug","https://www.youtube.com/user/WeatherBugVideo"],"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.weatherbug.com/images/logos/weatherbug_logo_620x447.png"}},"author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"WeatherBug","url":"https://www.weatherbug.com","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/WeatherBug","https://instagram.com/WeatherBug","https://www.linkedin.com/company/weatherbug","https://www.pinterest.com/weatherbug","https://twitter.com/WeatherBug","https://www.youtube.com/user/WeatherBugVideo"],"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.weatherbug.com/images/logos/weatherbug_logo_620x447.png"}}} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Organization","name":"WeatherBug","logo":"https://www.weatherbug.com/images/logos/weatherbug_logo_620x447.png","url":"https://www.weatherbug.com","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/WeatherBug","https://instagram.com/WeatherBug","https://www.linkedin.com/company/weatherbug","https://www.pinterest.com/weatherbug","https://twitter.com/WeatherBug","https://www.youtube.com/user/WeatherBugVideo"]} ```