Eating the very first snow of a storm isn’t generally recommended, mainly because it can carry higher levels of air and ground pollutants. There are nuanced points, though:

• First snow tends to pick up contaminants from the air and soil as it falls, so it can be less clean than snow that falls later in the storm. This makes it less safe to eat than later snow, especially in urban or industrial areas.

• If you do choose to sample snow, pristine, freshly fallen, undisturbed white flakes from a clean outdoor area are typically safer than snow that’s been on the ground or plowed snow. Still, the safest approach is to avoid eating snow in general if it’s visibly dirty or in areas with heavy pollution or after a lot of traffic.

• Some sources note that snow acts as a filter for airborne particles, and that contaminants can be present even in fresh snow, though levels vary by location and weather conditions. If in doubt, it’s best not to rely on snow for hydration or consumption.

If you’re curious about making a safe choice:

• Check the location: rural forests or areas with low traffic typically have cleaner snow than city streets or near roads.
• Inspect the snow: avoid yellow, dirty, or discolored snow, and avoid snow that has been recently plowed or swept.
• Use common sense: drinking water is safer from a clean, treated source rather than snow, especially in urban or industrial environments.

In short, while you technically can eat some snow, the “first snow” of a season is typically among the least safe to consume due to higher carryover of pollutants, so it’s better to wait and choose cleaner, melted water from a safe source instead.