From Dust To Snow To Winter Wonderland

Tomorrow is the first day of winter and in Cleveland we still haven't seen any snow. According to the weather reports, that's about to change. I must admit, I enjoy a good snow storm -- especially the first one of the season. To get me in the mood, I just watched a video The American Chemical Society created to explain how snowflakes are formed. I plan on showing this short video to my nephew – I know he'll get a kick out of knowing that a snowflake starts as a piece of dust. The video tracks the formation of snowflakes from their origins as bits of dust in clouds that become droplets of water falling to Earth. When the droplets cool, six crystal faces form because water molecules bond in hexagonal networks when they freeze. As each snowflake rises and falls through warmer and cooler air, it develops its own distinctive shape.And after we watch the video, I will explain that every time he cleans his room he kicks up dust -- thus giving the clouds even more snowflake starters. I will remind him that when there is a lot of snow, he could potentially get a snow day and not have to go to school. I'm sure his parents will be thanking me for years to come. They can consider it an early Christmas present.If you, or someone you know, has a child who needs incentive to clean, check out the video for yourself >>  http://youtu.be/VYrF3sFBY20Traci PurdumSenior Digital Editor and teller of little white lies. On the social media front, be sure to check out her Google+ page.