Science

Types of Snowflakes

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Updated:4/9/2026
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Crystal Type
Shape
Formation Temp (C)
Humidity
Known For
Stellar dendrite
Six-branched star with side branches-12 to -18HighThe classic Christmas card snowflake, most photographed, complex fern-like branches
Sectored plate
Flat hexagonal plate with ridges-10 to -22ModerateHexagonal plates divided into six sectors by prominent ridges
Simple plate
Thin hexagonal plate-10 to -22Low to moderateSmooth hexagonal tablets, simplest flat crystal form
Stellar plate
Plate with six short arms-10 to -20ModerateTransitional between plates and dendrites, six stubby branches on a plate
Hollow column
Hexagonal prism with hollow ends-5 to -10ModeratePencil-shaped with conical hollows in the ends, common at moderate cold
Solid column
Short hexagonal prism-5 to -10LowShort stubby pillars of ice, sometimes too small to see without magnification
Needle
Long thin slender columns-5 to -10HighLong thin ice needles, form at specific narrow temperature range
Capped column
Column with plates on each endVariable (columns then plates)VariableSnowflake that falls through two temperature zones, grows columns then caps with plates
Fernlike stellar dendrite
Elaborate fern-branched star-15Very highLargest snowflakes, up to 10mm+, most intricate branching, the best for photography
Diamond dust
Tiny prisms-30 and belowLowMicroscopic crystals in polar air, create sundogs and halos in sunlight
Triangular crystal
Truncated triangular plate-2VariableRare three-fold symmetric snowflakes, form under specific aerodynamic conditions
Twelve-branched snowflake
Two stellar crystals fusedVariableVariableTwo crystals that collide mid-air and grow together at 30 degrees
Rimed crystal
Crystal covered in frozen dropletsVariableSupercooled fogRegular crystals coated with frozen supercooled cloud droplets, heavy and lumpy
Graupel
Soft hail pelletVariableHighHeavily rimed snowflakes that become fully opaque frozen pellets, bounce on impact
Bullet rosette
Cluster of columns from common center-30 to -40LowRadial cluster of bullet-shaped columns, common in cirrus clouds
Irregular crystal
Asymmetric, malformedVariousVariousMost snow that actually falls, imperfect shapes far outnumber the textbook symmetric ones

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