A marvelous, wondrous material that twinkles in the sunshine and brightens the heart. Then it turns into ugly brown snarg that blocks travel, and gets pounded into ice that turns a highway into a high-speed meat grinder.

An appreciation for you to contemplate waiting for the blizzard to abate, or hypothermia to prevail. Whichever comes first.

http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2011/01/happy_snowy_new_year.php

From the same page, more detailed exploration. Pretty pictures:
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/primer/primer.htm