solid precipitation

So this picture was taken at the University of Puget Sound, where my sister goes to school. My parents went to visit her and for some reason I could not go. They said I had to go to school or something like that. For the phun physics part, I came to a conclusion that the snow falls at an acceleration of -9.8 m/s^2. However there is some air resistance so the snow looks like it falls really slow. When the snow hits the ground, its velocity hits 0 m/s. Wind blowing causes the snow to change direction while its falling, causing it to accelerate more. This is because acceleration occurs when the object speeds up, slows down, or changes direction. Once the snow is falling, the only thing that can slow the snow down is that tree. The snow will hit the tree first and probably stick, but if it hits, then falls, the snow will have to start with velocity of 0 m/s. Unfortunately I have never been able to see snow so this makes me jealous.