First snow!

It finally snowed here! I thought I was seeing things last night when I let Buddy out to go pee... and if you think I was surprised imagine what an 8 month old puppy who's never seen snow though. He was so freaked out when he came back in covered in snow. By this morning he had caught on and he was jumping around and playing in it. Why is it that when it snows it seems lighter and quieter at night?