In late winter, snowbanks often take on a blue tint, especially where they've been piled up by plows or packed down over time. This phenomenon isn't just a trick of the light, it's actually the same reason glacial ice appears blue. Fresh snow is full of tiny air pockets that scatter light, making it look bright white. But as snow becomes compacted, the air is squeezed out, allowing longer wavelengths of light (like red and yellow) to be absorbed while shorter wavelengths (like blue) are reflected back. The deeper and denser the snow, the more pronounced the effect.