Have you ever noticed how peaceful and quiet things seem when snow is falling ? It's not your imagination, it really is quieter out when it's snowing. Snow flakes absorb soundwaves as they fall ...

A few inches of fresh, fluffy snow can absorb roughly 60% of ambient noise! When the snow settles, melts and refreezes, the sound-dampening quality of the snow will change.

Dear Tom,How does snow affect the distance that sound travels? I live in a rural area and I can sometimes hear distant sounds clearly, but at other times I cannot.

If the snow melts and refreezes, or in the case of KELOLAND, gets wind-blown, the snow can get hard-packed, which reflects the sound back up and making it normal again.