About snow, I just had a thought that really when you dig snow it shouldn't just disappear, but instead build up on neighboring blocks. It could also work in layers, so in deep snow you have to shovel multiple times to clear the block of snow. Could also introduce a snow shovel tool that would make snow clearing more efficient. Clearing snow I think should by default throw the snow to the side.
Would be an interesting thing to have big piles of snow you've built up over a whole winter.