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Have you ever seen a snowflake? Snowflakes grow as moist air freezes in a cloud. No two snowflakes are alike. But they have shapes in common. Let’s see some.
Columns and Needles
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These crystals form in warmer temperatures. They are long and thin. They might look like small hairs on your clothes.
Diamond Dust
![](https://www.timeforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/K1_231117_diamond_dust.jpg?w=1024)
This is the smallest type of snowflake. It has six sides. This type forms in very cold weather.
Twelve-Branched
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Sometimes, two snowflakes join in midair. They can form a snowflake like this. Can you count its branches?
Stellar Dendrites
![](https://www.timeforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/K1_231117_stellar_dendrites.jpg?w=1024)
This is the most common type of snowflake. It has six branches.
Did You Know?
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This is Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley. In 1885, he took the first picture of a snowflake. He learned that every snowflake is different.