No, flushing ice cubes down the toilet will not result in a snow day

Every year, when Old Man Winter makes his appearance known, children – especially those in the country’s snow belt – eagerly await news of school being canceled, which is commonly known as a snow day.

School districts across the country build in these extreme weather event days into planning calendars, so if a day here or there is lost because of Mother Nature, students don’t have to make up the time.

However, snow days have become increasingly rarer in recent years, primarily due to reduced snowfall and advancements in technology that enable students to attend classes online and continue learning from home without missing a full day of education.

In order to increase their perceived chances of a snow day, some children turn to superstitions in hopes of avoiding school.

One of the more popular rituals is flushing ice cubes down the toilet, with the belief that the ice will cool the region enough to allow frozen precipitation to fall from the sky.

Social media platforms like TikTok are filled with videos of people attempting this ritual, despite it having no real effect.

Other common myths include putting a spoon under your pillow and wearing pajamas inside out to confuse Mother Nature.

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The prestigious Johns Hopkins University, located in Baltimore, even has a page on its website listing the snow day superstitions it has encountered over the years. 

According to the university, other popular myths to enhance the chances of a snow event include brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand, placing a white crayon on the windowsill, shouting ‘snow day!’ into the freezer, and eating a ton of ice cream. 

With the advent of social media, other superstitions have emerged, but so far, no one has found the golden ticket.

According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, there are specific criteria that must be met for snow to fall over a region.

As a general rule of thumb, ground temperatures must be below 42 degrees F, which is often difficult to obtain in the South.

Above the surface, there must be a significant swath of air temperatures at or below the freezing mark.

Air temperatures that are too warm usually result in precipitation such as sleet or freezing rain.

So, while it can be too warm for snow, experts agree that it can never be too cold for the flakes to fly.

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Typically, the heaviest snowfall occurs when there is a pocket of warm air near the surface, between 15 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, as warmer air can hold more water vapor than temperatures near zero degrees.

This snowfall tends to be of the heavy, wet variety, as opposed to the dry, fluffy snow often seen on mountains, which occurs as a result of the dramatically cooler temperatures.

So, if you’re one of the many hoping for snowfall, your best bet is to wish for an air temperature that is at or below freezing throughout the atmosphere, with a substantial amount of moisture and a ground temperature that is cool enough to allow for the snow to accumulate.