What is it about snow that makes people react as if it's colder outside than it really is?

I see this all the time. I live close to a freshmen dorm, and seeing the reactions of out-of-state students after the first snow is priceless.

The power of illusion. It is pretty amazing how we can trick our even train our brains into things.

Just how our brains, over they years, have been conditioned. Cold enough to snow means it’s cold enough for water to freeze. If water can freeze than I can freeze!

That and compared to our ancestors we are wimps..

Snow is precipitation. As with rain, you need to protect yourself from snow as this can affect your health. You may not realize it when you’re out in the snow, but as it accumulates on you, it will melt and get you drenched in cold water.

seriously? if it’s above 32 degrees then it wouldn’t really be snowing.

I rode my bike to work this morning. It was 2 degrees with the wind chill. Now tell me you’re f*cking cold!!!

@jordy240 Snow is formed inside clouds which are well above the ground surface, and are much cooler than ground temperatures. So it can be below 32 degrees F in the cloud and above 32 degrees F on the ground surface, and still snow.

@jordy240 Well, it could be snowing, but it wouldn’t accumulate. I’m just saying, it’s very mild today—it’s 25 degrees, but to hear people talk they live with @erichw1504!
@erichw1504 LOL! THAT’S cold!

Its strictly psychological and you are correct. i am looking out my den window at the falling snow. the outside temperature is 30 degrees, but the wintry scene makes it appear to be 20 below zero. its my brain playing games, i know. i bring myself back to reality when i go outside to smoke. its just a little trick your mind plays with your body and no harm done.

@john65pennington No, no harm. I just prefer to look at reality, to see things the way they really are. That’s just me. I am not a sheeps! I was in a convenience store and the clerk kept carrying on about how COLD it was. I told her it wasn’t really cold. Then she amends it with, “Well, if the WIND wasn’t blowing I can handle this temp, but when the WIND blows I just can’t handle it.” Well, I shut up then, and didn’t point out that there isn’t any WIND either! It’s quite nice out, actually. I’d feel foolish carrying on like that about something that isn’t even true.

I feel less frigid when there’s a blanket of snow on the ground/when it’s snowing than not.