Interesting fact: Fresh powder can be so light that 10 centimeters of snow may hold only a small fraction of the water found in wet spring snow of the same depth.
The answer: Snow usually weighs between 50 and 500 kilograms per cubic meter depending on how dry, fresh, compacted, or wet it is. Light powder sits near the low end, while dense wet snow can be several times heavier.
Snow is notoriously difficult to estimate by depth alone because snow density changes with temperature, wind, melting, and compaction. That is why roof load warnings focus on weight, not just inches. Knowing snow's weight matters for building safety, avalanche forecasting, road maintenance, and water supply estimates when mountain snowpack melts.
