Névé is a young, granular type of snow

Snow

Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...

 which has been partially melted, refrozen and compacted, yet precedes the form of ice. This type of snow is associated with glacier

Glacier

A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...

 formation through the process of nivation

Nivation

Nivation is a collective name for the different processes that occur under a snow patch. The primary processes are mass wasting and the freeze and thaw cycle, in which fallen snow gets compacted into firn or névé...

. Névé that survives a full season of ablation

Ablation

Ablation is removal of material from the surface of an object by vaporization, chipping, or other erosive processes. This occurs in spaceflight during ascent and atmospheric reentry, glaciology, medicine, and passive fire protection.-Spaceflight:...

 is referred to as firn

Firn

Firn is partially-compacted névé, a type of snow that has been left over from past seasons and has been recrystallized into a substance denser than névé. It is ice that is at an intermediate stage between snow and glacial ice...

, which is both older and slightly denser. Firn becomes glacial ice–the long-lived, compacted ice that glaciers are composed of. Glacier formation can take days to years depending on freeze-thaw factors. Névé is annually observed in skiing

Skiing

Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....

 slopes, and is generally disliked as an icy falling zone.

Névé has a minimum density

Density

The mass density or density of a material is defined as its mass per unit volume. The symbol most often used for density is ρ . In some cases , density is also defined as its weight per unit volume; although, this quantity is more properly called specific weight...

 of 500 kg/m³.

Névé can also refer to the alpine

Alpine climate

Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....

 region in which snowfall accumulates, becomes névé, and feeds a glacier.

See also

Névé may also refer to Washington State's Névé Glacier located in North Cascades National Park

North Cascades National Park

North Cascades National Park is a U.S. National Park located in the state of Washington. The park is the largest of the three National Park Service units that comprise the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. Several national wilderness areas and British Columbia parkland adjoin the...

.