"soft frost" -- a frost that comes in late spring in which the temperature remains at or near freezing; a frost that will not kill plants; as contrasted to a hard frost, which will destroy your kid's science project if it involves living things and is left outside
"snizzle" -- snow-drizzle, minute flakes of actual snow that drift down at random moments during a winter day; at times a predecessor to an actual snowfall, at times just window dressing; not related to Snoop-dog or rap culture in any way
Words I have learned to appreciate in a whole new way since moving to Minnesota:
"sublimation" -- a scientific term which means the process of snow or ice turning directly into water vapor; the reason we have had fog for the last three days
"freezing fog" -- a preponderance of water vapor in the air (see above) when the temperature falls to or below freezing, which then coats every surface with a thin veneer of invisible ice; often causing octogenarians to wear spikes on the bottom of their shoes, freezing fog is none the less appreciated for the beautiful effect it has on otherwise bare trees.
"wuthering" -- a term originally from the moors of England (See The Secret Garden), the sound of the wind taking on nearly human tones when it reaches a certain velocity; tones may include moaning, chattering, and giggling; I heard all three in our first big blizzard earlier this month.
"blizzard" -- a combination of high wind and abundant snowfall, often with temperatures well below freezing; note: the presence of actual snowfall from clouds is not required; you can also have a blizzard if you have enough wind and enough snow on the ground to obscure the road as you are driving on it or to obscure buildings less than a block away. Blizzards will commonly last more than one day.
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