Although the climate of Israel is generally moderate, at least in comparison to many other places on earth, snowfall occasionally occurs during winter, particularly at the higher elevations. Snow has therefore been known to the people of the land of Israel during all of Bible History. It is mentioned throughout the Scriptures, even by God Himself, both literally and figuratively.
Snow is a God-intended element of the Winter northern and southern (non-tropical) seasons (i.e. north of the equator, it gets colder the farther north you go, whereas south of the equator, it gets colder the farther south you go):
"He gives snow like wool; He scatters hoarfrost like ashes. He casts forth His ice like morsels; who can stand before His cold? He sends forth His word, and melts them; He makes His wind blow, and the waters flow" (Psalm 147:16-18 RSV)
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven [see Heavens Below, Heavens Above], and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater" (Isaiah 55:9-10 RSV)
"Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him, he refreshes the spirit of his masters." (Proverbs 25:13 RSV)
"Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool." (Proverbs 26:1 RSV)
A substantial part of river and stream flow begins as melted snow in the mountains (see also Ice Mountain):
"Does the snow of Lebanon leave the crags of Sirion? Do the mountain waters run dry, the cold flowing streams?" (Jeremiah 18:14 RSV)
"Drought and heat snatch away the snow waters" (Job 24:19 RSV)
Snow was often used as an analogy for purity:
"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." (Psalm 51:7 RSV)
"Her princes were purer than snow" (Lamentations 4:7 RSV)
"And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John [see The Inner Circle], and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and He was transfigured before them. And His raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them" (Mark 9:2-3 KJV)
"Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulchre. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow." (Matthew 28:1-3 RSV)
"Come now, let us reason together, says The Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." (Isaiah 1:18 RSV)
Fact Finder: How is snow used in the description of the Ancient of Days?