Why does sound seem so much clearer, carry farther, and/or so utterly silent in cold temperatures?

Question

Why does sound seem so much clearer, carry farther, and/or so utterly silent in cold temperatures?

In: Earth Science

Answer 1

I think you have two different scenarios here:

1. Clear sound on a cold, crisp, and clear (night?). This is when the pond is frozen, the leaves are long gone, but no wind. All the surfaces are hard and reflective to sound, and nothing is competeing with the sound.

2. Muffled sound during snowfall, or immediately thereafter. The snow falls and entrains a great deal of air in a collapsible blanket. The energy of sound is absorbed and converted to heat in the snowpack, helping to consolidate new snow.