These days, whenever I comb my hair, it makes these crackling sounds, and then my hair starts floating in the air as if they’ve decided to break free from my scalp and live their best life. After accepting their newfound freedom, I move on — only to get a shock when I pull on my woollen sweater.

Fine, no big deal. But then comes another shock when I touch the doorknob! It’s like the universe is giving me little electric reminders that I’m still alive … and maybe just a tad too charged for my own good!

Fascinated, I thought, why not dig a little deeper and figure out what’s going on this season? What I found might already be common knowledge for many of you, but for the ‘curiously clueless’ like me, read on to uncover this electrifying mystery!

Hair, there and all over

In dry winter conditions, static electricity builds up more easily because dry air is a good insulator, which means it doesn’t allow electrical charges to move freely. This allows static charges to build up on surfaces, like your body or clothes, until they find a way to discharge, often as a shock; just like the ones we usually have when we touch something conductive like a doorknob. And also cause individual strands of hair to repel each other and stand out or appear straighter, especially when they are charged with the same type of static charge.

Winter is like nature showing off its quirky side, reminding us that even the coldest season has a charm of its own

Moreover, when you wear or remove clothing made of materials like wool or certain synthetics, friction can cause electrons to transfer, resulting in static buildup, the one we get. And this is why our hair may stand on end, or clothes may cling to our bodies during winter months.

Sudden bursts of small currents

Speaking of sounds, that crackling noise you hear when touching wool blankets or synthetic fabrics isn’t just your imagination. What you’re hearing is the rapid release of built-up static charges. Each tiny spark creates a miniature sonic boom — too small to feel, but just loud enough to hear. Well, honestly, I love to hear it.

Haven’t you noticed these tiny electrical discharges already? I often test this out before sleeping by quickly rubbing a fleece blanket — and there they are, the tiny blue sparks! These visible miniature lightning bolts are created when the electric field becomes strong enough to ionise the air. This is often seen when touching synthetic materials like wool or blankets after friction, as wool and blankets are excellent insulators. Each one is a tiny electrical current jumping across an air gap, releasing both light and sound energy.

Silence of the atmosphere

If you’re a keen observer (or just someone who doesn’t blast music all day), you might notice that with the onset of winter comes a sense of calm and a noticeable drop in noise levels. That’s because cold, dense air can dampen sound propagation. The denser air absorbs certain frequencies, making sounds seem muffled or distant. And if it snows, well, the snow absorbs sound too, adding to the eerie quietness.

The science behind sound propagation in cold weather

During winter, the ground loses heat rapidly, cooling the air close to the surface. Warmer air above cooler air creates a temperature inversion. Sound waves traveling through this gradient can bend (refract) back toward the ground, allowing noises to be heard over longer distances than usual.

Perception of distant sounds: The combination of temperature inversions and reduced ambient noise can make distant sounds more audible in winter. The bending of sound waves back toward the ground allows them to travel further, and the quiet environment makes these sounds stand out more.

No wonder, among all four seasons, winter stands out for its unique and fascinating natural phenomena. These are just a few fascinating phenomena that many of us noticed during winter. Of course, there are countless others tied to specific regions and conditions.

Winter is like nature showing off its quirky side, reminding us that even the coldest season has a charm of its own.

Published in Dawn, Young World, January 11th, 2025