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Why UK Snow Doesn’t “Burn” or Drip Water When Heated
As winter weather sweeps across parts of the UK, a wave of online videos has reignited claims that falling snow is “unnatural” because it does not burn, drip water, or melt in the way many people expect when a flame is held against it. The footage has prompted speculation ranging from chemical contamination to artificial weather creation. Scientists and meteorologists say the explanation is far simpler — and firmly grounded in basic physics.
What people are seeing
In many clips, a lighter or match is held under compacted snow. Instead of visibly dripping water, the snow appears to shrink, pull away from the flame, or darken slightly. Some viewers interpret the lack of dripping water as proof the snow is not real.
Experts say this reaction is completely normal.
Sublimation, not combustion
Snow is made up of ice crystals with a high volume of trapped air. When exposed briefly to an intense heat source like a flame, the ice often undergoes sublimation — turning directly from solid ice into water vapour without passing through a liquid phase.
Because the flame heats only a tiny area and for a short time, there is often not enough sustained energy to create liquid water that can drip. Instead, the snow simply shrinks or disappears into vapour.
Crucially, snow does not burn. Ice and water are not flammable, and any suggestion that snow is combusting is scientifically impossible.
Why there may be no visible water
Several factors affect whether melting snow will drip:
• Temperature of the surrounding air: In freezing conditions, any meltwater can refreeze instantly.
• Porosity of snow: Fresh, fluffy snow absorbs meltwater like a sponge.
• Short exposure to heat: A lighter does not provide enough energy to produce continuous liquid runoff.
As a result, the absence of dripping water is not unusual — especially outdoors in sub-zero temperatures.
The black marks explained
In some cases, snow exposed to a flame appears to darken. This is not the snow changing form, but soot from the lighter or match settling on the surface. Snow’s bright white colour makes even tiny amounts of carbon residue highly visible.
Pollution and modern snowfall
Scientists acknowledge that snow in the UK, particularly in urban areas, can contain trace amounts of pollution such as soot, dust, and microscopic plastic particles carried in the air. These pollutants are a result of modern industrial life and global air circulation.
However, their presence does not stop snow from melting, nor does it make it flammable or synthetic. The quantities involved are extremely small and have no bearing on the behaviour seen in viral videos.
What weather experts say
The Met Office has consistently stated that UK snowfall forms naturally in the atmosphere when cold air meets moisture. There is no evidence of artificial snow being released or weather modification influencing snowfall over Britain.
Meteorologists warn that demonstrations using flames are not a reliable way to judge whether snow is “real,” and often misrepresent how ice behaves under sudden heat.
Understanding the science
Experts say confusion often arises because people expect snow to behave like a solid block of ice. In reality, snow is a delicate structure of ice and air, and its interaction with heat can be counterintuitive.
The conclusion
Snow in the UK that does not burn or visibly drip water is behaving exactly as physics predicts. It is natural, genuine snow — not artificial, not chemical, and not dangerous. While environmental pollution remains an important issue, the claims surrounding “fake snow” are unsupported by science.
Attached is a news article regarding the snow that does not burn or drip water
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
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