We Keep Coding

how to decrease speed of canvas animation?

I am creating an animation using java script & canvas. I am using a fiddle as a reference, currently object are generating randomly & falling from top right corner to bottom left corner which is okay. but the issue is speed the objects are generating & falling in high speed. I want to make animation flow little slow & smooth.
I am new canvas programming, any help will be very useful.
(function() {
var requestAnimationFrame = window.requestAnimationFrame || window.mozRequestAnimationFrame || window.webkitRequestAnimationFrame || window.msRequestAnimationFrame ||
function(callback) {
window.setTimeout(callback, 1000 / 60);
};
window.requestAnimationFrame = requestAnimationFrame;
})();
var particleArr = [],
canvas = document.getElementById("canvas"),
ctx = canvas.getContext("2d"),
flakeCount = 700,
mouseX = -100,
mouseY = -100,
xMultiplier = 0.015
canvas.width = window.innerWidth;
canvas.height = window.innerHeight;
function getRandomColor() {
// Random Color Generate
const colorArr = ["rgba(215,88,69, 1)", "rgba(117, 161, 199, 1)"]; // Blue & Orange Color
const randomColor = colorArr[Math.floor(Math.random() * colorArr.length)];
return randomColor;
}
function flow() {
ctx.clearRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
for (var i = 0; i < flakeCount; i++) {
var flake = particleArr[i],
x = mouseX,
y = mouseY,
minDist = 150,
x2 = flake.x,
y2 = flake.y;
var dist = Math.sqrt((x2 - x) * (x2 - x) + (y2 - y) * (y2 - y)),
dx = x2 - x,
dy = y2 - y;
if (dist < minDist) {
var force = minDist / (dist * dist),
xcomp = (x - x2) / dist,
ycomp = (y - y2) / dist,
deltaV = force / 2;
flake.velX -= deltaV * xcomp;
flake.velY -= deltaV * ycomp;
} else {
flake.velX *= .98;
if (flake.velY <= flake.speed) {
flake.velY = flake.speed
}
flake.velX += Math.cos(flake.step += .05) * flake.stepSize;
}
ctx.fillStyle = getRandomColor();
flake.y += flake.velY;
flake.x += flake.velX;
if (flake.y >= canvas.height || flake.y <= 0) {
reset(flake);
}
if (flake.x >= canvas.width || flake.x <= 0) {
reset(flake);
}
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.arc(flake.x, flake.y, flake.size, 0, Math.PI * 2);
ctx.fill();
}
requestAnimationFrame(flow);
};
function reset(flake) {
let temp = (Math.random() * 1) + 0.5;
flake.x = canvas.width;
flake.y = 50;
flake.size = (Math.random() * 3) + 5;
flake.speed = (Math.random() * 7) + 0.5;
flake.velY = flake.speed;
flake.velX = -xMultiplier * canvas.width * temp;
// flake.opacity = (Math.random() * 0.5) + 0.3;
}
function init() {
for (var i = 0; i < flakeCount; i++) {
var x = canvas.width,
y = 50,
size = (Math.random() * 3) + 5,
// speed = (Math.random() * 1) + 0.5;
speed = 0;
// opacity = (Math.random() * 0.5) + 0.3;
particleArr.push({
speed: speed,
velY: speed,
velX: -xMultiplier * canvas.width * speed,
x: x,
y: y,
size: size,
stepSize: (Math.random()) / 30,
step: 0,
angle: 360
// opacity: opacity
});
}
flow();
};
canvas.addEventListener("mousemove", function(e) {
mouseX = e.clientX,
mouseY = e.clientY
});
window.addEventListener('resize', onWindowResize, false);
function onWindowResize() {
canvas.width = window.innerWidth;
canvas.height = window.innerHeight;
}
init();
canvas {
background-color: #000000 !important;
}
body {
margin: 0;
overflow: hidden;
}
<canvas id="canvas"></canvas>

Could not work out what it was you wanted to slow down as there are several FX and interactions in the code.
I rewrote from the ground up as your code is a little old school.
Rather than play with the constants you had OI added the global variable rate (at the ver top of the source) is used to control the rate at which the animation plays, including the user interaction.
I have added two button to slow or speed up the animation.
Hope this helps :)
var rate = 1;
slower.addEventListener("click", () => rate *= 1 / 1.2);
faster.addEventListener("click", () => rate *= 1.2);
const flakes = [], flakeCount = 700, xMultiplier = 0.015;
const minDist = 150, minDistSqr = minDist * minDist;
const colors = ["#F99","#F83","#AF9","#ED9","#AC8","#FA9" ];
const ctx = canvas.getContext("2d");
const mouse = {x: -100, y: -100};
const randPick = (arr, len = arr.length) => arr[Math.random() * len | 0];
Math.rand = (min, range) => Math.random() * range + min;
function Flake() {
this.reset();
this.stepSize = Math.random() / 30;
this.step = 0;
}
Flake.prototype = {
reset() {
this.x = canvas.width;
this.y = 50;
this.size = Math.rand(5, 3);
this.speed = Math.rand(0.5, 7);
this.velY = this.speed;
this.velX = -xMultiplier * canvas.width * Math.rand(0.5, 1);
this.col = randPick(colors);
},
draw() {
ctx.fillStyle = this.col;
const s = this.size, sh = -s / 2;
ctx.fillRect(this.x + sh, this.y + sh, s, s);
},
update(w, h) {
const f = this;
const dx = f.x - mouse.x;
const dy = f.y - mouse.y;
const distSqr = dx * dx + dy * dy;
if (distSqr < minDistSqr) {
const deltaV = 2 * minDist * rate / distSqr ** 1.5;
f.velX -= deltaV * dx;
f.velY -= deltaV * dy;
} else {
f.velX -= 0.1 * rate * f.velX;
if (f.velY <= f.speed ) { f.velY = f.speed }
f.velX += Math.cos(f.step += 0.05 * rate) * f.stepSize * rate;
}
f.y += f.velY * rate;
f.x += f.velX * rate;
if (f.y >= h || f.y <= 0 || f.x >= w || f.x <= 0) { this.reset() }
else { this.draw() }
}
};
init();
mainLoop();
function mainLoop() {
if (innerWidth !== canvas.width || innerHeight !== canvas.height) { resize() }
else { ctx.clearRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height) }
for (const f of flakes) { f.update(canvas.width, canvas.height) }
requestAnimationFrame(mainLoop);
}
function init() {
var i = flakeCount;
while (i--) { flakes.push(new Flake()) }
}
canvas.addEventListener("mousemove", e => { mouse.x = e.clientX; mouse.y = e.clientY });
function resize() { canvas.width = innerWidth; canvas.height = innerHeight }
canvas {
background-color: #000;
}
body {
margin: 0;
}
.buttons {
position: absolute;
top: 12px;
left: 12px;
color: #000;
background-color: #AAA;
}
.buttons > div {
margin: 3px;
padding: 3px;
background-color: #EEE;
cursor: pointer;
}
.buttons > div:hover {
background-color: #DEF;
}
<canvas id="canvas"></canvas>
<div class = "buttons">
<div id="slower">Slower</div>
<div id="faster">Faster</div>
</div>

That requestAnimationFrame() function that calls flow() every frame is designed to run as fast as possible for whoever's computer it's running on. I wouldn't mess with your actual render loop.
Try messing with the flake.speed or the xMultiplier. Those are two of the main variables affecting the speed of your particles. You can see how each time through the flow() loop you're adjusting each particle's position based on their velocity properties and position. Then finally rendering the arc with ctx.arc(flake.x, flake.y, flake.size, 0, Math.PI * 2);
So any variable passed to ctx.arc() affects the particle's position. And many of those variables are recalculated each time through the loop.
I'm no expert here, but maybe try fiddling with your variables.
https://codepen.io/nitwit/pen/XWXJNaJ

https://jsfiddle.net/z6r8h5de/
if the issue is there are too many flakes on the screen, turn the count down from 700.
flakeCount = 100,

Javascript Animation(Canvas) not working in firefox, Edge but works on Chrome

This is a code from codepen. I am trying to work on this one. This code works on chrome but does not work in firefox or edge. I tried to solve the issue but could not fix it. Is the problem with requestAnimationFrame or something else? Can anyone please help? Here is the codepen link: https://codepen.io/iremlopsum/pen/MKNaxd
var canvas = document.querySelector("#scene"),
ctx = canvas.getContext("2d"),
particles = [],
amount = 0,
mouse = {
x: 0,
y: 0
},
radius = 0.7; //Init radius of the force field
var colors = ["rgba(255,255,255, .6)", "rgba(255,255,255, .6)", "rgba(255,255,255, .6)", "rgba(255,255,255, .6)", "rgba(255,255,255, .6)", "rgba(255,255,255, .6)"];
var colorsTwo = ["rgba(255,255,255, .6)", "rgba(255,255,255, .6)", "rgba(255,255,255, .6)", "rgba(255,255,255, .6)", "rgba(255,255,255, .6)", "rgba(255,255,255, .6)"];
var copy = "Mighty Byte"; // Text to display
var initSize = Math.floor(Math.random() * .6) + 1 ;
var hoverSize = initSize + .7;
var ww = canvas.width = window.innerWidth;
var wh = canvas.height = window.innerHeight;
function Particle(x, y) {
this.x = Math.random() * ww;
this.y = Math.random() * wh;
this.dest = {
x: x,
y: y
};
//this.r = Math.random() * 1; // the size of bubbles
this.vx = (Math.random() - 0.5) * 2;
this.vy = (Math.random() - 0.5) * 2;
this.accX = 0;
this.accY = 0;
this.friction = Math.random() * 0.015 + 0.94; // force of bounce, just try to change 0.015 to 0.5
//this.color = colors[Math.floor(Math.random() * 10)];
//this.colorTwo = colorsTwo[Math.floor(Math.random() * 10)];
}
Particle.prototype.render = function() {
this.accX = (this.dest.x - this.x) / 200; //acceleration for X
this.accY = (this.dest.y - this.y) / 200; //acceleration for Y
this.vx += this.accX;
this.vy += this.accY;
this.vx *= this.friction;
this.vy *= this.friction;
this.x += this.vx;
this.y += this.vy;
ctx.fillStyle = this.color;
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.arc(this.x, this.y, this.r, Math.PI * 2, false);
ctx.fill();
var a = this.x - mouse.x;
var b = this.y - mouse.y;
var distance = Math.sqrt(a * a + b * b);
if (distance < (radius * 70)) {
this.accX = (this.x - mouse.x) / 20; //acceleration on mouseover X, smaller faster
this.accY = (this.y - mouse.y) / 20; //acceleration on mouseover Y, smaller faster
this.vx += this.accX;
this.vy += this.accY;
//ctx.fillStyle = this.colorTwo;
}
if (distance < (radius * 70)) {
this.colorTwo = colorsTwo[Math.floor(Math.random() * 10)];
ctx.fillStyle = this.colorTwo;
this.r = hoverSize; // the size of bubbles
}
if (distance > (radius * 70)) {
this.colorOne = colors[Math.floor(Math.random() * 10)];
ctx.fillStyle = this.colorOne;
this.r = initSize
}
}
function onMouseMove(e) {
mouse.x = e.clientX;
mouse.y = e.clientY;
}
function initScene() {
ww = canvas.width = window.innerWidth;
wh = canvas.height = window.innerHeight;
ctx.clearRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
ctx.font = "bold " + (ww / 10) + "px sans-serif"; // Size of the text
ctx.textAlign = "center";
ctx.fillText(copy, ww / 2, wh / 2); //Centering
var data = ctx.getImageData(0, 0, ww, wh).data;
ctx.clearRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
ctx.globalCompositeOperation = "screen";
particles = [];
for (var i = 0; i < ww; i += Math.round(ww / 400)) { //400 here represents the amount of particles
for (var j = 0; j < wh; j += Math.round(ww / 400)) {
if (data[((i + j * ww) * 4) + 3] > 250) {
particles.push(new Particle(i, j));
}
}
}
amount = particles.length;
}
function onMouseClick() {
radius = 4; //onclick expand radius
}
function offMouseClick() {
radius = 0.5; //offClick init radius
}
function delayedInitRadius() {
setTimeout(offMouseClick, 500); //delay for offClick init radius
}
function render(a) {
requestAnimationFrame(render);
ctx.clearRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
for (var i = 0; i < amount; i++) {
particles[i].render();
}
};
window.addEventListener("resize", initScene);
window.addEventListener("mousemove", onMouseMove);
window.addEventListener("mousedown", onMouseClick);
window.addEventListener("mouseup", delayedInitRadius);
initScene();
requestAnimationFrame(render);

adding custom animation in canvas html5

this might be somewhat difficult but i wil still ask, so i made a starfield ,now what i want to do is to have my stars( a pair each) connected to eachother by a line ,now this line will expand as the stars move forward and disappear when the stars move out of the canvas .any help would be appreciated here this is difficult i have the logic but i seem unable to follow the correct way to implement it
function randomRange(minVal, maxVal) {
return Math.floor(Math.random() * (maxVal - minVal - 1)) + minVal;
}
function initStars() {
for (var i = 0; i < stars.length; i++) {
stars[i] = {
x: randomRange(-25, 25),
y: randomRange(-25, 25),
z: randomRange(1, MAX_DEPTH)
}
}
}
function degToRad(deg) {
radians = (deg * Math.PI / 180) - Math.PI / 2;
return radians;
}
function animate() {
var halfWidth = canvas.width / 2;
var halfHeight = canvas.height / 2;
ctx.fillStyle = "rgb(0,0,0)";
ctx.fillRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
for (var i = 0; i < stars.length; i++) {
stars[i].z -= 0.2;
if (stars[i].z <= 0) {
stars[i].x = randomRange(-25, 25);
stars[i].y = randomRange(-25, 25);
stars[i].z = MAX_DEPTH;
}
var k = 128.0 / stars[i].z;
var px = stars[i].x * k + halfWidth;
var py = stars[i].y * k + halfHeight;
if (px >= 0 && px <= 1500 && py >= 0 && py <= 1500) {
var size = (1 - stars[i].z / 32.0) * 5;
var shade = parseInt((1 - stars[i].z / 32.0) * 750);
ctx.fillStyle = "rgb(" + shade + "," + shade + "," + shade + ")";
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.arc(px, py, size, degToRad(0), degToRad(360));
ctx.fill();
}
}
}
function animate() {
var halfWidth = canvas.width / 2;
var halfHeight = canvas.height / 2;
ctx.fillStyle = "rgb(0,0,0)";
ctx.fillRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
for (var i = 0; i < stars.length; i++) {
stars[i].z -= 0.2;
if (stars[i].z <= 0) {
stars[i].x = randomRange(-25, 25);
stars[i].y = randomRange(-25, 25);
stars[i].z = MAX_DEPTH;
}
var k = 128.0 / stars[i].z;
var px = stars[i].x * k + halfWidth;
var py = stars[i].y * k + halfHeight;
if (px >= 0 && px <= 1500 && py >= 0 && py <= 1500) {
var size = (1 - stars[i].z / 32.0) * 5;
var shade = parseInt((1 - stars[i].z / 32.0) * 750);
ctx.fillStyle = "rgb(" + shade + "," + shade + "," + shade + ")";
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.arc(px, py, size, degToRad(0), degToRad(360));
ctx.fill();
}
}
}
<!DOCTYPE html5>
<html>
<head>
<title>stars</title>
<script src="convergis.js"></script>
<script>
MAX_DEPTH = 32;
var canvas, ctx;
var stars = new Array(500);
window.onload = function() {
canvas = document.getElementById("tutorial");
if( canvas && canvas.getContext ) {
ctx = canvas.getContext("2d");
initStars();
setInterval(animate,17);
}
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<canvas id='tutorial' width='1500' height='1500'>
</canvas>
</body>
</html>

You could just say you want a lightspeed effect!
One way very cheap way to do it is to paint the background with some transparency. You can also render a set of points close together in order to make the illusion of the effect.
The good way to do it is shaders since they will allow you to add glow and some other nice image trickery that will make it look better. Here is a good example: https://www.shadertoy.com/view/Xdl3D2
Below I used the canvas api lineTo and even with a fixed line width, it's a pretty good final result.
var MAX_DEPTH = 64;
var LINELENGTH = 0.1;
var stars = new Array(500);
var canvas = document.getElementById("tutorial");
canvas.width = innerWidth;
canvas.height = innerHeight;
var ctx = canvas.getContext("2d");
initStars();
setInterval(animate,17);
function randomRange(minVal, maxVal) {
return Math.floor(Math.random() * (maxVal - minVal - 1)) + minVal;
}
function initStars() {
for (var i = 0; i < stars.length; i++) {
stars[i] = {
x: randomRange(-25, 25),
y: randomRange(-25, 25),
z: randomRange(1, MAX_DEPTH)
}
}
}
function degToRad(deg) {
radians = (deg * Math.PI / 180) - Math.PI / 2;
return radians;
}
function animate() {
var halfWidth = canvas.width / 2;
var halfHeight = canvas.height / 2;
ctx.fillStyle = "rgba(0,0,0,1)";
ctx.fillRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
for (var i = 0; i < stars.length; i++) {
stars[i].z -= 0.5;
if (stars[i].z <= 0) {
stars[i].x = randomRange(-25, 25);
stars[i].y = randomRange(-25, 25);
stars[i].z = MAX_DEPTH;
}
var k = 254.0 / stars[i].z;
var px = stars[i].x * k + halfWidth;
var py = stars[i].y * k + halfHeight;
if (px >= 0 && px <= 1500 && py >= 0 && py <= 1500) {
var size = (1 - stars[i].z / 32.0) * 2;
var shade = parseInt((1 - stars[i].z / 32.0) * 750);
ctx.strokeStyle = "rgb(" + shade + "," + shade + "," + shade + ")";
ctx.lineWidth = size;
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.moveTo(px,py);
var ox = size * (px - halfWidth) * LINELENGTH;
var oy = size * (py - halfHeight) * LINELENGTH;
ctx.lineTo(px + ox, py + oy);
ctx.stroke();
}
}
}
<canvas id='tutorial' width='1500' height='1500'></canvas>

Beginner JavaScript Help - Using mouseover

How would one go about adding a mouseover event to this code in order to change the speed of the snow falling. This is not my code, but I took it from http://codepen.io/loktar00/pen/CHpGo, to use as an example.
(function() {
var requestAnimationFrame = window.requestAnimationFrame || window.mozRequestAnimationFrame || window.webkitRequestAnimationFrame || window.msRequestAnimationFrame ||
function(callback) {
window.setTimeout(callback, 1000 / 60);
};
window.requestAnimationFrame = requestAnimationFrame;
})();
var flakes = [],
canvas = document.getElementById("canvas"),
ctx = canvas.getContext("2d"),
flakeCount = 400,
mX = -100,
mY = -100
canvas.width = window.innerWidth;
canvas.height = window.innerHeight;
function snow() {
ctx.clearRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
for (var i = 0; i < flakeCount; i++) {
var flake = flakes[i],
x = mX,
y = mY,
minDist = 150,
x2 = flake.x,
y2 = flake.y;
var dist = Math.sqrt((x2 - x) * (x2 - x) + (y2 - y) * (y2 - y)),
dx = x2 - x,
dy = y2 - y;
if (dist < minDist) {
var force = minDist / (dist * dist),
xcomp = (x - x2) / dist,
ycomp = (y - y2) / dist,
deltaV = force / 2;
flake.velX -= deltaV * xcomp;
flake.velY -= deltaV * ycomp;
} else {
flake.velX *= .98;
if (flake.velY <= flake.speed) {
flake.velY = flake.speed
}
flake.velX += Math.cos(flake.step += .05) * flake.stepSize;
}
ctx.fillStyle = "rgba(255,255,255," + flake.opacity + ")";
flake.y += flake.velY;
flake.x += flake.velX;
if (flake.y >= canvas.height || flake.y <= 0) {
reset(flake);
}
if (flake.x >= canvas.width || flake.x <= 0) {
reset(flake);
}
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.arc(flake.x, flake.y, flake.size, 0, Math.PI * 2);
ctx.fill();
}
requestAnimationFrame(snow);
};
function reset(flake) {
flake.x = Math.floor(Math.random() * canvas.width);
flake.y = 0;
flake.size = (Math.random() * 3) + 2;
flake.speed = (Math.random() * 1) + 0.5;
flake.velY = flake.speed;
flake.velX = 0;
flake.opacity = (Math.random() * 0.5) + 0.3;
}
function init() {
for (var i = 0; i < flakeCount; i++) {
var x = Math.floor(Math.random() * canvas.width),
y = Math.floor(Math.random() * canvas.height),
size = (Math.random() * 3) + 2,
speed = (Math.random() * 1) + 0.5,
opacity = (Math.random() * 0.5) + 0.3;
flakes.push({
speed: speed,
velY: speed,
velX: 0,
x: x,
y: y,
size: size,
stepSize: (Math.random()) / 30,
step: 0,
opacity: opacity
});
}
snow();
};
canvas.addEventListener("mousemove", function(e) {
mX = e.clientX,
mY = e.clientY
});
window.addEventListener("resize",function(){
canvas.width = window.innerWidth;
canvas.height = window.innerHeight;
})
init();

We can not modify speed of each flakes on the fly, as it would impact performance. What we can do is maintain a minimum speed and access the speed of every flake after adding this minimum speed to the original one.
See the code below:
flakes.push({
speed: speed,
getSpeed: function () {
var localSpeed = minSpeed + this.speed;
return localSpeed;
},
velY: speed,
velX: 0,
x: x,
y: y,
size: size,
stepSize: (Math.random()) / 30,
step: 0,
opacity: opacity
});
Now we will use getSpeed() method to get the speed of snowflake instead of speed attribute.
Now modifying the minSpeed value will modify the speed of all snoflakes in one go.
Here's working codepen fork. Speed according to the speed of mouse pointer.

Creating Falling Snow using HTML 5 and JS

I visited the Stack Exchange Winter Bash website and I love the falling snow! My question is, how can I recreate a similar effect that looks as nice. I attempted to reverse engineer the code to see if I could figure it out but alas no luck there. The JS is over my head. I did a bit of googling and came across some examples but they were not as elegant as the SE site or did not look very good.
Can anyone provide some instructions on how to replicate what the SE Winter Bash site creates or a place where I might learn how to do this?
Edit: I would like to replicate the effect as close as possible, IE: falling snow with snowflakes, and being able to move the mouse and cause the snow to move or swirl with the mouse moments.

Great question, I actually wrote a snow plugin a while ago that I continually update see it in action. Also a link to the pure js source
I noticed you tagged the question html5 and canvas, however you can do it without using either, and just standard elements with images or different background colors.
Here's two really simple ones I put together just now for you to mess with. The key in my opinion is using sin to get the nice wavy effect as the flakes fall. The first one uses the canvas element, the 2nd one uses regular dom elements.
Since I'm absolutely addicted to canvas here's a canvas version that performs quite nicely in my opinion.
Canvas version
Full Screen
(function() {
var requestAnimationFrame = window.requestAnimationFrame || window.mozRequestAnimationFrame || window.webkitRequestAnimationFrame || window.msRequestAnimationFrame ||
function(callback) {
window.setTimeout(callback, 1000 / 60);
};
window.requestAnimationFrame = requestAnimationFrame;
})();
var flakes = [],
canvas = document.getElementById("canvas"),
ctx = canvas.getContext("2d"),
flakeCount = 200,
mX = -100,
mY = -100
canvas.width = window.innerWidth;
canvas.height = window.innerHeight;
function snow() {
ctx.clearRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
for (var i = 0; i < flakeCount; i++) {
var flake = flakes[i],
x = mX,
y = mY,
minDist = 150,
x2 = flake.x,
y2 = flake.y;
var dist = Math.sqrt((x2 - x) * (x2 - x) + (y2 - y) * (y2 - y)),
dx = x2 - x,
dy = y2 - y;
if (dist < minDist) {
var force = minDist / (dist * dist),
xcomp = (x - x2) / dist,
ycomp = (y - y2) / dist,
deltaV = force / 2;
flake.velX -= deltaV * xcomp;
flake.velY -= deltaV * ycomp;
} else {
flake.velX *= .98;
if (flake.velY <= flake.speed) {
flake.velY = flake.speed
}
flake.velX += Math.cos(flake.step += .05) * flake.stepSize;
}
ctx.fillStyle = "rgba(255,255,255," + flake.opacity + ")";
flake.y += flake.velY;
flake.x += flake.velX;
if (flake.y >= canvas.height || flake.y <= 0) {
reset(flake);
}
if (flake.x >= canvas.width || flake.x <= 0) {
reset(flake);
}
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.arc(flake.x, flake.y, flake.size, 0, Math.PI * 2);
ctx.fill();
}
requestAnimationFrame(snow);
};
function reset(flake) {
flake.x = Math.floor(Math.random() * canvas.width);
flake.y = 0;
flake.size = (Math.random() * 3) + 2;
flake.speed = (Math.random() * 1) + 0.5;
flake.velY = flake.speed;
flake.velX = 0;
flake.opacity = (Math.random() * 0.5) + 0.3;
}
function init() {
for (var i = 0; i < flakeCount; i++) {
var x = Math.floor(Math.random() * canvas.width),
y = Math.floor(Math.random() * canvas.height),
size = (Math.random() * 3) + 2,
speed = (Math.random() * 1) + 0.5,
opacity = (Math.random() * 0.5) + 0.3;
flakes.push({
speed: speed,
velY: speed,
velX: 0,
x: x,
y: y,
size: size,
stepSize: (Math.random()) / 30,
step: 0,
angle: 180,
opacity: opacity
});
}
snow();
};
canvas.addEventListener("mousemove", function(e) {
mX = e.clientX,
mY = e.clientY
});
init();​
Standard element version
var flakes = [],
bodyHeight = getDocHeight(),
bodyWidth = document.body.offsetWidth;
function snow() {
for (var i = 0; i < 50; i++) {
var flake = flakes[i];
flake.y += flake.velY;
if (flake.y > bodyHeight - (flake.size + 6)) {
flake.y = 0;
}
flake.el.style.top = flake.y + 'px';
flake.el.style.left = ~~flake.x + 'px';
flake.step += flake.stepSize;
flake.velX = Math.cos(flake.step);
flake.x += flake.velX;
if (flake.x > bodyWidth - 40 || flake.x < 30) {
flake.y = 0;
}
}
setTimeout(snow, 10);
};
function init() {
var docFrag = document.createDocumentFragment();
for (var i = 0; i < 50; i++) {
var flake = document.createElement("div"),
x = Math.floor(Math.random() * bodyWidth),
y = Math.floor(Math.random() * bodyHeight),
size = (Math.random() * 5) + 2,
speed = (Math.random() * 1) + 0.5;
flake.style.width = size + 'px';
flake.style.height = size + 'px';
flake.style.background = "#fff";
flake.style.left = x + 'px';
flake.style.top = y;
flake.classList.add("flake");
flakes.push({
el: flake,
speed: speed,
velY: speed,
velX: 0,
x: x,
y: y,
size: 2,
stepSize: (Math.random() * 5) / 100,
step: 0
});
docFrag.appendChild(flake);
}
document.body.appendChild(docFrag);
snow();
};
document.addEventListener("mousemove", function(e) {
var x = e.clientX,
y = e.clientY,
minDist = 150;
for (var i = 0; i < flakes.length; i++) {
var x2 = flakes[i].x,
y2 = flakes[i].y;
var dist = Math.sqrt((x2 - x) * (x2 - x) + (y2 - y) * (y2 - y));
if (dist < minDist) {
rad = Math.atan2(y2, x2), angle = rad / Math.PI * 180;
flakes[i].velX = (x2 / dist) * 0.2;
flakes[i].velY = (y2 / dist) * 0.2;
flakes[i].x += flakes[i].velX;
flakes[i].y += flakes[i].velY;
} else {
flakes[i].velY *= 0.9;
flakes[i].velX
if (flakes[i].velY <= flakes[i].speed) {
flakes[i].velY = flakes[i].speed;
}
}
}
});
init();
function getDocHeight() {
return Math.max(
Math.max(document.body.scrollHeight, document.documentElement.scrollHeight), Math.max(document.body.offsetHeight, document.documentElement.offsetHeight), Math.max(document.body.clientHeight, document.documentElement.clientHeight));
}​

I've created a pure HTML 5 and js snowfall.
Check it out on my code pen here: https://codepen.io/onlintool24/pen/GRMOBVo
// Amount of Snowflakes
var snowMax = 35;
// Snowflake Colours
var snowColor = ["#DDD", "#EEE"];
// Snow Entity
var snowEntity = "•";
// Falling Velocity
var snowSpeed = 0.75;
// Minimum Flake Size
var snowMinSize = 8;
// Maximum Flake Size
var snowMaxSize = 24;
// Refresh Rate (in milliseconds)
var snowRefresh = 50;
// Additional Styles
var snowStyles = "cursor: default; -webkit-user-select: none; -moz-user-select: none; -ms-user-select: none; -o-user-select: none; user-select: none;";
/*
// End of Configuration
// ----------------------------------------
// Do not modify the code below this line
*/
var snow = [],
pos = [],
coords = [],
lefr = [],
marginBottom,
marginRight;
function randomise(range) {
rand = Math.floor(range * Math.random());
return rand;
}
function initSnow() {
var snowSize = snowMaxSize - snowMinSize;
marginBottom = document.body.scrollHeight - 5;
marginRight = document.body.clientWidth - 15;
for (i = 0; i <= snowMax; i++) {
coords[i] = 0;
lefr[i] = Math.random() * 15;
pos[i] = 0.03 + Math.random() / 10;
snow[i] = document.getElementById("flake" + i);
snow[i].style.fontFamily = "inherit";
snow[i].size = randomise(snowSize) + snowMinSize;
snow[i].style.fontSize = snow[i].size + "px";
snow[i].style.color = snowColor[randomise(snowColor.length)];
snow[i].style.zIndex = 1000;
snow[i].sink = snowSpeed * snow[i].size / 5;
snow[i].posX = randomise(marginRight - snow[i].size);
snow[i].posY = randomise(2 * marginBottom - marginBottom - 2 * snow[i].size);
snow[i].style.left = snow[i].posX + "px";
snow[i].style.top = snow[i].posY + "px";
}
moveSnow();
}
function resize() {
marginBottom = document.body.scrollHeight - 5;
marginRight = document.body.clientWidth - 15;
}
function moveSnow() {
for (i = 0; i <= snowMax; i++) {
coords[i] += pos[i];
snow[i].posY += snow[i].sink;
snow[i].style.left = snow[i].posX + lefr[i] * Math.sin(coords[i]) + "px";
snow[i].style.top = snow[i].posY + "px";
if (snow[i].posY >= marginBottom - 2 * snow[i].size || parseInt(snow[i].style.left) > (marginRight - 3 * lefr[i])) {
snow[i].posX = randomise(marginRight - snow[i].size);
snow[i].posY = 0;
}
}
setTimeout("moveSnow()", snowRefresh);
}
for (i = 0; i <= snowMax; i++) {
document.write("<span id='flake" + i + "' style='" + snowStyles + "position:absolute;top:-" + snowMaxSize + "'>" + snowEntity + "</span>");
}
window.addEventListener('resize', resize);
window.addEventListener('load', initSnow);
body{
background: skyblue;
height:100%;
width:100%;
display:block;
position:relative;
}
<span id="flake0" style="cursor: default; user-select: none; position: absolute; font-family: inherit; font-size: 19px; color: rgb(221, 221, 221); z-index: 1000; left: 226px; top: 561px;">•</span>

The falling snow is simple: Create a canvas, create a bunch of snowflakes, draw them.
You can create a snowflake class like so:
function Snowflake() {
this.x = Math.random()*canvas.width;
this.y = -16;
this.speed = Math.random()*3+1;
this.direction = Math.random()*360;
this.maxSpeed = 4;
}
Or something like that. Then you have a timer that, each step, adjusts each snowflake's direction by a small amount, and then calculates its new X and Y by factoring in the Speed and Direction.
It's hard to explain, but actually quite basic.