Brian Wakem wrote:
Alex Stephens Jr wrote:

24-Dec -2.2 -11.8 Y 26cm
25-Dec 0.7 -4.5 Y 16cm


How did you manage to lose 10cm of snow at those temps?

I was wondering that very same thing myself.
Compaction/sublimation?
Both processes will lead to a reduction in snow depth at low
temps but I'd be very surprised if either or a combination of
the two could lead to such a decrease in depth after just 24hrs.
Several days I would have though would be nearer to the mark.
--
Col

Bolton, Lancashire
160m asl

Alex Stephens Jr wrote:
"Brian Wakem" wrote in message
...
Alex Stephens Jr wrote:

24-Dec -2.2 -11.8 Y 26cm
25-Dec 0.7 -4.5 Y 16cm


How did you manage to lose 10cm of snow at those temps?


--
Brian Wakem

It rained heavily on xmas day at several times (it snowed as well) -
even when the temp was considerably below zero... I think the weight
of water compacted the snow rather than there being a real thaw...
Consequently there's a 2 inch layer of ice 4 inches above the grass
and 5 inches below the top of the snow..
Strange, but true.

Wow, you've got your very own ice core data!
--
Col

Bolton, Lancashire
160m asl

"Col" wrote in message
...
Alex Stephens Jr wrote:
"Brian Wakem" wrote in message
...
Alex Stephens Jr wrote:

24-Dec -2.2 -11.8 Y 26cm
25-Dec 0.7 -4.5 Y 16cm


How did you manage to lose 10cm of snow at those temps?


--
Brian Wakem

It rained heavily on xmas day at several times (it snowed as well) -
even when the temp was considerably below zero... I think the weight
of water compacted the snow rather than there being a real thaw...
Consequently there's a 2 inch layer of ice 4 inches above the grass
and 5 inches below the top of the snow..
Strange, but true.

Wow, you've got your very own ice core data!
--
Col

Bolton, Lancashire
160m asl

Several times I've thought lately that it's a good job there's no mountains
around here, the avalanche risk would be very high! I'll try and take some
pictures of the snow and ice layers tomorrow. It's been a bit of a pest
lately when trying to measure the snow depth as the ice layer is pretty hard
to break through.

We've reached 16 days snow cover here in the Sidlaws NW of Dundee. The
depth this morning was 8.0 cm. With snow currently falling at -4.0C,
it's certainly going to be 17 days of cover, unfortunately probably
many more. I'm now really, really fed up with it.

What worries me most is that I'm running out of sultanas for the
blackbirds. A couple of them have learned to sit on the window sill and
tap on the glass with their beaks until I feed them. The more prolonged
the cold spell, the bolder and more desperate they get. I see no chance
of being able to get to any shop until Tuesday.

My December average was +0.6C; by far the coldest month I've recorded,
and locally probably the coldest month since February 1986. Since 9
a.m. on 17 December, we've had 266 hours of frost (68% of the available
total), with consecutive 44 and 43 bursts, and a lowest minimum of
-8.1C on the 23rd. And we're just an "ordinary" rural location.

To think I used to yearn for a "real winter". I've learned the lesson
of my ways. Can no one give me a glimmer of hope for a thaw?


Trevor, snowbound near Dundee
Lundie, elev. 185 ,
Weather: http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~taharley/

On Sat, 2 Jan 2010 17:46:13 -0000, Col wrote:

24-Dec -2.2 -11.8 Y 26cm
25-Dec 0.7 -4.5 Y 16cm

How did you manage to lose 10cm of snow at those temps?

I was wondering that very same thing myself.
Compaction/sublimation?

Would be quite a bit for sublimantion, compaction of that amount
would indicate, light, fluffy, dry snow. Maybe the wind got up and
blew it away?

I have that problem for todays snow fall, where I clear around the
car I'd be pushed to measure 1cm but it snowed an awful lot more than
that but it's all been blow into drifts, some places are bare others
under 4' of fresh stuff.

--
Cheers Dave.
Nr Garrigill, Cumbria. 421m ASL.

On Sat, 2 Jan 2010 17:15:59 -0000, Will Hand wrote:

Not that I want it too Will, but where or when will it end?

To be honest I don't know. But, ... I do know that a pattern like this
establishing itself at the beginning of January will take some shifting.

Bit like '47 and '63...? At least as far as the cold starting and not
shifting that is.

December/January can have a bit snow and be cold for short periods.
Lying snow lasting few days but not normally until the next fall in
any appreciable quantity. Our real winter with heavy snow falls and
ice days isn't normally until February.

--
Cheers Dave.
Nr Garrigill, Cumbria. 421m ASL.

On Sat, 2 Jan 2010 19:30:42 +0000, Trevor Harley wrote in
news:2010010219304216807-taharley@dundeeacuk

We've reached 16 days snow cover here in the Sidlaws NW of Dundee. The
depth this morning was 8.0 cm. With snow currently falling at -4.0C,
it's certainly going to be 17 days of cover, unfortunately probably
many more. I'm now really, really fed up with it.

What worries me most is that I'm running out of sultanas for the
blackbirds. A couple of them have learned to sit on the window sill and
tap on the glass with their beaks until I feed them. The more prolonged
the cold spell, the bolder and more desperate they get. I see no chance
of being able to get to any shop until Tuesday.

My December average was +0.6C; by far the coldest month I've recorded,
and locally probably the coldest month since February 1986. Since 9
a.m. on 17 December, we've had 266 hours of frost (68% of the available
total), with consecutive 44 and 43 bursts, and a lowest minimum of
-8.1C on the 23rd. And we're just an "ordinary" rural location.

To think I used to yearn for a "real winter". I've learned the lesson
of my ways. Can no one give me a glimmer of hope for a thaw?

It's very similar here, though we are lower than you. It's now 14 days
since the heavy snowfall (19/20 December) and we still have half cover.
Our lowest min was about -8C and we had one 72 hour spell of 0C.

There are no signs of a let up as far as I can see.

--
Mike Tullett - Coleraine 55.13°N 6.69°W posted 1/2/2010 7:42:13 PM GMT

On Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:30:42 +0000, Trevor Harley wrote:

To think I used to yearn for a "real winter". I've learned the lesson of
my ways. Can no one give me a glimmer of hope for a thaw?

I thought Scotland snowy winters under control. If not, why not?

On 2010-01-02 20:24:26 +0000, Simon Bennett said:

On Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:30:42 +0000, Trevor Harley wrote:
To think I used to yearn for a "real winter". I've learned the lesson of
my ways. Can no one give me a glimmer of hope for a thaw?
I thought Scotland snowy winters under control. If not, why not?


I'm sure it is better than the south of England, where a few flakes of
seem to cause chaos and consternation. But the quantity of snow, the
harshness of forst, and the persistence of the cold is remarkable, even
for Scotland. You have to go back to February 1986 for something
similar here, wo we're talking a greater than 20 year return period.
Given that, I think the authorities do a pretty good job. The main
roads are open most of the time, and the city centres relatively clear
(although Dundee city centre was a sheet of glass last week; even I
didn't feel safe).

But when you get off the B roads to the minor roads and the tracks,
it's not realistic to expect local government to be able to keep
everything clear. Local farmers are impressive, doing their bit with
tractors, but there are limits on what they can do. On the road where
our car is stuck even tractors can't get a grip.

No, shops are running out of luxury white chocolate, civilisation is
starting to break down, and I've had enough.

Trevor
Fed up in Dundee
Weather: http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~taharley/

On 3 Jan, 10:33, Trevor Harley wrote:
On 2010-01-02 20:24:26 +0000, Simon Bennett said:

Local farmers are impressive, doing their bit with
tractors, but there are limits on what they can do. On the road where
our car is stuck even tractors can't get a grip.

Trevor,
Local farmers get paid to do the snow clearance, that is why they're
impressive. Can't imagine farmers doing owt for nowt!
Snow - I love it (;0)
Ken
Copley, Teesdale