Why is there snow on the ground in Pokémon Go?

If you log onto Pokémon Go for the next few weeks, trainers might notice random large patches of snow that appear on the ground around them, especially around areas with a bunch of gyms or Pokéstops.

This has led a lot of players to wonder if the patches of snow have any purpose. After all, Niantic is used to changing the world in some way, may it be having Hoopa’s rings appear in the sky for no reason or having different effects on the map that tie into the season, but they usually are just there for cosmetic purposes and nothing more.

So, what is the deal with these patches of snow, and do they have any effect other than making the ground look a bit uglier?

Why are the patches of snow appearing in Pokémon Go?

The snow patches, like most things in the game, are just for cosmetic purposes. They don’t spawn Pokémon around them and they will usually disappear as soon as they appear due to a bug currently in the game.

They offer nothing for walking toward them and will likely be taken out of the game within the next few weeks, so while they might be a nice touch, don’t get used to them.