Snow in Pokemon

Snow boosts Ice-type Defense and supports Aurora Veil. In modern games it replaces Hail as the main ice-weather state, so it plays very differently from the older Hail mechanic.

How snow works

Snowscape and Snow Warning are the main ways to start snow. In modern games, snow lasts five turns, or eight turns with Icy Rock. In older games, Hail filled a similar role and dealt chip damage instead of the modern Snow defense bonus.

Common snow interactions

Aurora Veil requires snow or hail, and Slush Rush doubles Speed in snow. In modern games, Snow gives Ice-type Pokemon a 50% boost to Defense.

Related mechanics

See the weather overview for the full weather list.

FAQ

How is snow different from hail?

In modern games, Snow raises Ice-type Defense instead of dealing chip damage like older Hail did.

What item extends snow?

Icy Rock extends snow from the default duration to a longer timer in modern games.

Why do teams use snow?

Snow raises Ice-type Defense, enables Aurora Veil, and supports Slush Rush teams.