diff --git a/src/ebfm/core/LOOP_SNOW.py b/src/ebfm/core/LOOP_SNOW.py
index 016c75c8..21c07416 100644
--- a/src/ebfm/core/LOOP_SNOW.py
+++ b/src/ebfm/core/LOOP_SNOW.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 from .compute_backend import get_backend, ComputeBackend
 from .constants import SECONDS_PER_HOUR
+from .LOOP_SNOW_common import _DT_SAFETY_FACTOR
 from .LOOP_SNOW_kernels import (
     _compaction_kernel,
     _heat_conduction_kernel,
@@ -546,7 +547,7 @@ def heat_conduction(gpu=None):
             # Stability time step (CFL condition)
             # Layer 0: surface ghost layer, excluded from CFL condition
             dt_stab: NDArray[np.float64] = (
-                0.5
+                _DT_SAFETY_FACTOR
                 * np.min(c_eff[:, 1:], axis=1)
                 * np.min(OUT["subZ"][:, 1:], axis=1) ** 2
                 / np.max(kk[:, 1:], axis=1)
diff --git a/src/ebfm/core/LOOP_SNOW_common.py b/src/ebfm/core/LOOP_SNOW_common.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7b92053a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ebfm/core/LOOP_SNOW_common.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 EBFM Authors
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+
+_DT_SAFETY_FACTOR = 0.5
diff --git a/src/ebfm/core/LOOP_SNOW_gpu_kernels.py b/src/ebfm/core/LOOP_SNOW_gpu_kernels.py
index 0117c405..446f4260 100644
--- a/src/ebfm/core/LOOP_SNOW_gpu_kernels.py
+++ b/src/ebfm/core/LOOP_SNOW_gpu_kernels.py
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@
 
 from .compute_backend import cuda
 
+from .LOOP_SNOW_common import _DT_SAFETY_FACTOR
+
 # Threads per block used for all 1-D column-parallel launches.
 _TPB = 128
 
@@ -509,7 +511,7 @@ def _heat_conduction_prep_kernel_gpu(
     # denom_bottom = c_eff[-1] * (0.25*subZ[-2] + 0.75*subZ[-1])
     denom_bottom[i] = c_eff[i, nl - 1] * (0.25 * subZ[i, nl - 2] + 0.75 * subZ[i, nl - 1])
 
-    # dt_stab = 0.5 * min(c_eff[1:]) * min(subZ[1:])**2 / max(kk[1:]) / dayseconds
+    # dt_stab = _DT_SAFETY_FACTOR * min(c_eff[1:]) * min(subZ[1:])**2 / max(kk[1:]) / dayseconds
     min_ceff = math.inf
     min_sz = math.inf
     max_kk = 0.0
@@ -520,7 +522,7 @@ def _heat_conduction_prep_kernel_gpu(
             min_sz = subZ[i, k]
         if kk[i, k] > max_kk:
             max_kk = kk[i, k]
-    dt_stab[i] = 0.5 * min_ceff * (min_sz * min_sz) / max_kk / dayseconds
+    dt_stab[i] = _DT_SAFETY_FACTOR * min_ceff * (min_sz * min_sz) / max_kk / dayseconds
 
 
 @cuda.jit
diff --git a/src/ebfm/core/LOOP_SNOW_kernels.py b/src/ebfm/core/LOOP_SNOW_kernels.py
index 4f792473..cb874a3a 100644
--- a/src/ebfm/core/LOOP_SNOW_kernels.py
+++ b/src/ebfm/core/LOOP_SNOW_kernels.py
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 
 from .compute_backend import njit, prange
 
+from .LOOP_SNOW_common import _DT_SAFETY_FACTOR
+
 
 @njit(parallel=True, cache=True)
 def _compaction_kernel(
@@ -224,7 +226,7 @@ def _heat_conduction_prep_kernel(
         # denom_bottom = c_eff[-1] * (0.25*subZ[-2] + 0.75*subZ[-1])
         denom_bottom[i] = c_eff[i, nl - 1] * (0.25 * subZ[i, nl - 2] + 0.75 * subZ[i, nl - 1])
 
-        # dt_stab = 0.5 * min(c_eff[1:]) * min(subZ[1:])**2 / max(kk[1:]) / dayseconds
+        # dt_stab = _DT_SAFETY_FACTOR * min(c_eff[1:]) * min(subZ[1:])**2 / max(kk[1:]) / dayseconds
         min_ceff = math.inf
         min_sz = math.inf
         max_kk = 0.0
@@ -235,7 +237,7 @@ def _heat_conduction_prep_kernel(
                 min_sz = subZ[i, k]
             if kk[i, k] > max_kk:
                 max_kk = kk[i, k]
-        dt_stab[i] = 0.5 * min_ceff * (min_sz * min_sz) / max_kk / dayseconds
+        dt_stab[i] = _DT_SAFETY_FACTOR * min_ceff * (min_sz * min_sz) / max_kk / dayseconds
 
 
 @njit(parallel=True, cache=True)