Snow-covered mountains in Utah. [Courtesy: Scott Dennstaedt]
Key Takeaways:
Flying through snow alone, not mixed with other liquid precipitation, is generally not considered a significant airframe icing hazard in flight, primarily due to kinetic heating on leading edges preventing accretion.
Icing becomes a risk if snow is mixed with supercooled liquid water (like freezing rain), and snow also presents hazards during ground operations (e.g., contaminated surfaces), reduced visibility, and disorientation in flight.
The FAA's interpretation clarifies that visible moisture like snow at freezing temperatures doesn't automatically constitute "known icing" for structural ice, acknowledging variables that influence actual ice formation.
Answer: There is an opinion in the aviation community that flying through snow is not only an icing hazard but also against FAA regulations for pilots in aircraft without a certified ice protection system. Keep in mind that each weather system is unique, and there are many exceptions to the general view presented here.
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Scott resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, and flies regularly throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast U.S. He is a CFI and former NWS meteorologist. Scott is the author of "The Skew-T log (p) and Me: A Primer for Pilots" and the founder of EZWxBrief.
