Snow-covered mountains in Utah. [Courtesy: Scott Dennstaedt]
Key Takeaways:
Flying through unmixed snow is generally not considered a significant airframe icing hazard in flight, primarily due to kinetic heating on leading edges preventing accretion and the crystalline nature of snow.
The risk of airframe icing increases significantly if snow is mixed with other forms of liquid precipitation, such as freezing rain or drizzle.
Despite low airframe icing risk, snow can cause induction icing, pose hazards during ground operations (e.g., contaminated surfaces), and lead to reduced visibility, disorientation, and slick runway conditions.
FAA interpretations and weather products like the Current Icing Product (CIP) typically do not classify unmixed snow below cloud base as "known icing" for structural accretion.
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.
