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Snow is solid atmospheric precipitation made of ice crystals and their aggregates. Crystals grow in cold clouds through transfer of water vapor to ice; collisions and the collection of supercooled droplets can further change their form. Air temperature and moisture conditions influence the resulting particles.
A settled snowpack contains both ice and pore space, so its bulk mass density and thermal conductivity differ from those of solid glacier ice. Compaction and recrystallization can turn old snow into firn. Its high albedo also changes the absorbed solar energy, while its insulating effect alters heat exchange with the ground or underlying sea ice. These optical and thermal roles can act in different directions in a surface energy budget.