Frank Kaufmann of Towson is puzzled: "Twice ... in the aftermath of our recent snowstorms, I've heard [TV reporters] say that, as snow melts and refreezes, it weighs MORE ... How can it GAIN weight?" It can't. As it melts, or sublimates (from solid to vapor), snow loses weight. But it can become denser - heavier per unit of volume. Example: As snow on the roof melts, water runs to the gutters, where it freezes and builds a solid ice dam. The weight, concentrated in the gutters, can bring them down.

> Read Frank Roylance's blog on MarylandWeather.com