Snow feels cold! It’s hard to feel snow, though, because snowflakes melt and turn into water as soon as they touch your skin. Sometimes, if the snowflakes are clumped together, they stay for a little while.

Ideally, you dig a snow cave into a drift, bank, or slope that’s at least six feet deep. Pack the snow down before you dig the cave to make the structure stronger. You can pack the snow by stomping on it with a snowshoe. Remember, the more powdery the snow is, the more work you will need to put into packing it down.

Winds can also create health issues if you’re outside by speeding up the rate at which your body loses heat in the cold temperatures, making it easier to get frostbite or hypothermia.

According to olfactory scientist Pamela Dalton, that unmistakable snow “scent” can be boiled down to three things: cold weather, humidity, and a stimulated nerve in your brain. And while that humidity is what causes the flakes to fall, it also boosts your olfactory system, making your nose feel warm and moist.

The thing about snow is that it really doesn’t have a taste you can describe. It’s essentially flavorless, though it reminds people of the crisp smell of winter air with a slight metallic quality.

Snow does make the world seem more quiet. Some of the newfound quiet after a snowfall is logical. That’s because snow absorbs sound, so when a fresh blanket of snow covers the landscape it absorbs many of the sound waves, making it seem quieter outside, according to AccuWeather.

Sometimes frostbite can make these body parts hurt or feel hard when you touch them; it can also make the skin on these parts look glossy (shiny) or pale. If you think even for a second that you might have frostbite, go indoors and tell an adult right away. Once you’re inside, an adult should call your doctor.

Cold Weather Health Risks Cold temperatures cause your blood vessels to constrict, shallow breathing, and a slight thickening of the blood. These changes can cause chest pain in people with heart disease. When you’re outside in cold conditions, make sure to wrap up warm, being careful to cover up your extremities.

When your body temperature drops, your heart, nervous system and other organs can’t work normally. Left untreated, hypothermia can lead to complete failure of your heart and respiratory system and eventually to death. Hypothermia is often caused by exposure to cold weather or immersion in cold water.