Snow

Snow is a ground cover and gravity-affected block found on the surface in snowy biomes. It can be replenished during snowfall.

Breaking

Breaking snow with a shovel yields 1 snowball per layer , or between 1 and 4 depending on its height (detailed below). Explosions, such as by TNT or creepers, also cause snow to drop snowballs in the same amount as if mined with a shovel. , snow can be instantly removed by a shovel on it if there is no block directly above the snow layer, yielding the same amount of snowballs as when breaking it. Snowball drops in Bedrock Edition 1 snowball for 1–3 layers 2 snowballs for 4–5 layers 3 snowballs for 6–7 layers 4 snowballs for 8 layers If a shovel is enchanted with Silk Touch, snow drops itself at one item per layer, except for 8 layers, which drop a snow block instead. Breaking snow with any other tool, even if enchanted with Silk Touch, drops nothing.

Snow breaks and drops nothing if: water or lava flows into its space. , a piston extends or moves a block into its space. , its support block is removed. , snow breaks and drops 1-4 snowballs, depending on its height, if a ravager walks on it, or if a piston extends or moves a block into its space. 1 snowball is dropped — regardless of the number of layers — if snow falls into an invalid block space after its support block is removed.

Natural generation

Snow naturally generates covering all blocks in biomes with a temperature that allows snowfall, which depends on the elevation (see ). Only blocks with direct access to the sky can generate snow layers naturally. , snow can also generate snowlogged in certain types of vegetation. By default, snow generates exclusively in single layers , it can be modified with the max_snow_accumulation_height game rule. Snow generates randomized in multiple layers , depending on the biome's snow accumulation height. Snow generates as piles and in multiple layers as part of many snowy plains village structures, which can also be in areas without sky access. Snow also generates in ancient cities.

Weather

In snowy biomes or in cold biomes at higher altitudes, the weather can produce snow instead of rain. In snowy weather, snow generates on random blocks with a complete solid top surface at integer y-values, with a block light level of 9 or less, with the exception of ice and packed ice. The rate at which snow forms is affected by the game rule . , snow can also generate snowlogged in certain types of vegetation. Below are the altitudes at which rain ends and snow begins, depending on the biome. The exact height of the snow line is randomized. In taigas, for example, the lowest possible snow layer forms at y level 153, and the lowest height where snow forms at all locations is y=168, with snow lines ranging between y levels 153 and 168 across different locations.

, anywhere from 1-12 layers of snow can build up during snowfall, depending on the biome (see ). , snowfall creates one layer of snow by default, and the number of layers that can accumulate can be altered by the game rule : the default value being , while setting it to makes no snow form at all, and setting it to or above lets snow form up to the level of a full block. Snow layers do not generate if the game rule has been set to .

Snow golems

Snow golems generate a trail of snow in snowy, cold, and some medium biomes, or any non-dry biome .

Usage

Snow can be placed only on a solid block that is not ice. , snow can be placed on a block with the tag, or a block with a full top face and not with the tag. , snow breaks if its support block is removed. , snow is affected by gravity and falls if it becomes unsupported, and breaks if it falls onto an unsuitable block. A player can jump up 1 block and 3 snow layers.

Cover

, mycelium or podzol.]] If the snow is on a grass block (or mycelium or podzol ) the ground cover turns white on the top and around the sides. Snow does not damage tilled and hydrated field areas – it cannot be placed on farmland. A gravity-affected block like sand or gravel does not fall if snow covers the block below it, but the gravity-affected block does replace a snow layer when falling onto it. The texture of the grass block changes to snowy when a single layer of snow is placed on top. Thicker layers of snow causes the grass block to revert to plain dirt when the block receives a random tick, similar to regular grass when covered by an opaque block. A plain dirt block with a single layer of snow on top gains a snowy texture if grass spreads to it. Snow layers placed on top of nylium revert it to netherrack. , if leaves are topped with a layer of snow, particles of snow appear to fall through the leaves from the snow layer. , snow layers can occupy the same space as one-block flowers, mushrooms, and one-block ferns and short grass and can be layered and mined normally. Snow cannot occupy the same block as two-block-tall plants. Placing snow on plant blocks causes snow to appear around them, but placing plants into an area where there is snow removes the snow.