 Snowflakes come in many shapes, but what makes those flakes take shape? Some snowflakes are simple shapes and others have intricate patterns. The temperature and humidity of the atmosphere where the snowflake forms determines the shape of the crystals. A flat plate, a long column, a star shape, or a prism. Snowflakes that form in cold, dry air have simple crystal plates and columns. Moisture and warmer but still freezing air temperatures result in more intricately shaped snowflakes. Snowflakes can be symmetrical hexagons like the ones you make from folded paper or they can be small and irregularly shaped. But make no mistake, all snowflake shapes are great.