“It may be a chance for a connection to or reminder of childhood experiences,” says Newman, and it’s all the more precious to us because “it’s something that doesn’t always happen really frequently” – it’s familiar because it’s part of a seasonal pattern, but it’s detached from the day to day grind. It might remind us, he adds, of snowy days from years gone by, unlocking positive memories of a time when maybe parents can’t or don’t go to work, and kids didn’t have to go to school.

“Seeing it snow can tap into the carefree, childlike part of ourselves,” explains Dr Elena Touroni, consultant psychologist and co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic. “In psychology, we sometimes refer to this as ‘happy child mode’ – the part of our inner child that helps us play and have fun. Many of us remember seeing – and playing – in snow for the first time when we were younger. And so seeing the snow today can tap into the same feelings of joy and playfulness we experienced then.”

Our need for fun and play, Touroni adds, doesn’t disappear in adulthood, but sometimes it can get lost amid all the other responsibilities we have in our lives: “Without play, life can feel heavy, and it can lead to feelings of low mood, as well as burnout.”

By reminding us of our more playful selves, snow can tap into more positive emotions and helps us feel connected and carefree. “Positive experiences build positive memories that one can try to resurface when you feeling low, through meditation and reflection,” adds Smriti Joshi, lead psychologist at Wysa. “Remembering that joy we felt as a young child can also act as a motivator on dull days to get up and go out and recreate similar experiences, by taking five minutes out to just be silly.”

The weather forces us to (temporarily) embrace a slower tempo and put some of our worries on hold too. “Snowfall gives us a sense of things slowing down,” Bell says. “This can represent a useful pause button when we might be stressed dealing with a busy pace in our lives. The workday might be slower and we could have an opportunity to take stock of what is happening in our lives.”

Anyone for a snowball fight?

The psychology of a snow day: why winter weather fills us with nostalgic joy