The first snow of 2020 has excited many in metropolitan Beijing. Once the snow is on the ground, it is time to build your own snowman, but do you know what it takes to build a snowman, or do you know what matters when it comes to snowman constructing?

There are people that study the physical properties of snow, and they are called snow scientists. According to them, snow can be categorized into five types based on its moisture content: dry (zero percent water), moist (less than 3 percent), wet (3 to 8 percent), very wet (8 to 15 percent) and slush (more than 15 percent).

A blend of the second and third types is ideal for snow sculptures. Dry snow is like loose powder and cannot stick together. It's perfect for skiing, but not snowman building. Also, snow that is too wet melts easily and cannot hold a shape.

Temperature is the key when it comes to what type of snow falls on the ground. Usually, moist or wet snow falls when the ground temperature is one or two degrees above or below zero.

Shape is another factor. A group of students from West Virginia of the United States says the optimal diameter ratio for the snowballs is 3:2:1 from bottom to top, which keeps the base large enough to support the weight of the top two snowballs.

Now, with science on your side, head out before it's too late.

(Cover image by CGTN's Zhang Hao, other images by Qu Bo and Zhang Hao)

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com)