A few words related to snow and ice in English that are the result of a few minutes of thought.
- snow = snow (!)
- ice = ice (!)
- snowdrift = pile of snow, often created by wind
- spindrift = light snow in the air created by an avalanche
- sastrugi = a layered wind-pack
- wind-pack = snow that has hardened by continually blowing wind
- hard-pack = snow that has been packed by skiers or machines
- packed powder = powder that has been packed by skiers or machines (euphemism for hard-pack)
- slush = snow that has melted to near transparency, but still is moderately solid.
- verglas = thin ice covering a rock
- blue ice = very cold ice that will shatter easily
- green ice = even colder ice
- klister snow = any snow that has either undergone freeze/thaw cycles or has sat for a long time so that skis won't stick easily
- powder = very dry snow that you can blow out of your hand
- champagne powder = even lighter powder
- cream powder = not really powder, but has little cohesion
- frost = ice that deposits from the air by condensation
- hoar frost = big-time frost that has had a long time to deposit under high humidity
- rime ice = ?
- iceberg = big hunk of ice floating in the ocean
- calf = piece of an iceberg
- avalanche = snow falling off of a mountain
- ice floe = ice-berg that is much wider than it is tall
- lacuna = a hole in ice flows
- snowball = toy made from snow
- snowsuit = clothes that one (usually a child) wears in snowy conditions