How cold can the interior of a car get that is covered in snow?

Question

a) 32 degrees F or b) the outside temperature?

Answer 1

David is right. If a thermometer is placed inside the car, and the car is covered with snow, and no heat is added to the interior (like having humans inside), no matter how good an insulator snow is, the interior heat will leak out, and the temperature inside will match the ambient temperature outside. It could take a long time, however. What people forget is that snow CAN be colder than 32 degrees, which is partially why there's different kinds of snow and ice.

Answer 2

Although snow will act as an insulator, if the temperature outside is below 32 degrees F, then the car temperature inside will eventually match the temperature outside. There is a mathematical formula for this called Newton's Law of Cooling:

T(t) = Toutside + (T(0) - Toutside)e^(-rt)

where t is time and r will be a constant based on the insulation of the snow and the car.

Answer 3

The snow acts as an insulation and protects you from the outside temperature and the wind. 32F is as cold as it gets under normal circumstances. It can actually be warmer if there is someone in the car. Also just one candle burning in a car will provide enough heat to keep a person from freezing to death. It won't keep you warm, but it will prevent death.

Answer 4

What ever the temp is outside. If snow is falling and the temp is allowing it to stick outside than it will stick in the car too. I left the windows open once (dummy) and it stayed in the car just as good outside and then even after I turned the heat on it took a bit to go away.