It is however interesting that many helicopters have limitations on flying in snow. (there is a bunch of stuff about the engines as you might expect) but the rotor systems have exposure limits to snow. So presumably the manufacturers are worried about the effect on the aerofoils. Of course I'm sure that is probably ice - but if it looks white and flurry and there is an exposure limit - it can stick.
For the four types of helicopters I fly, the only concerns about flight in snow (water which is already frozen), as opposed to icing condions (the water is acting more like a liquid, around freezing temperatures) are associated with the huge amounts of air which the turbine engines gulp, and the ease with which they can be flamed out with too much snow, under certain circumstances. And, operation close to the ground (hovering) where you can very suddenly blow up so much snow in front of you that you instantly loose all visual reference. There are no stated limitations.
Perhaps there are other types of helicopters which are not so tolerant of snow in flight, timid tropical types... We don't get them in Canada!
So we're having all of this emotional discussion about snow now, because the UK finally got some, and everyone is looking at it, talking about it, and wondering what to do with it?
Pilot DAR