Why Snow Looks White

Snow is really clear ice, not white. A snowpack is millions of tiny crystals with countless surfaces, and each one bounces light in every direction. Since all colors scatter equally, your eyes receive the full mix and read it as brilliant white — the same reason crushed glass looks white.

The most dangerous blizzard behavior is driving. Whiteout conditions reduce visibility to zero, so vehicles slide off roads and get buried. The safest move is almost always the simplest one: stay home and wait the storm out.