Snow Moon - Why is the Full Moon in February Called the Snow Moon?
Historically, full Moon names were used to track the seasons. Moon names come from the lunar calendar, which is an ancient way of defining seasons.
Along with other moon names, the name "snow moon" has been in use for centuries. Learn the special meaning of the name "Snow Moon" for February.
“Snow Moon” is the name of the full moon in February month, that is, the full moon that occurs in February is known as a "snow moon."
The explanation behind February's full Moon name is simple: it's called the Snow Moon because of the typically heavy snowfall that happens in February.
February is typically a time of heavy snowfall. Although snow can fall in both January and March, February is the month with the heaviest snowfall in the Northern Hemisphere.
According to Captain Jonathan Carver, who had visited with the Naudowessie (Dakota) in the 1760s, "the name used for this period was the 'Snow Moon' because more snow frequently falls during this month than any other in the winter".
Best time to view the full moon in February 2023
The full Snow Moon of February reaches its peak on Sunday, February 5, at 1:30 PM EST. This Moon will be below the horizon at this time.
For the best view of this Moon, start looking for it the night before or later on Sunday. It will drift above the horizon in the east around sunset and reach its highest point in the sky around midnight.