In my experience, snow will settle easily from November through to
mid
February often better on hard surfaces. After mid February, the
insolation from the sun warms these hard surfaces more quickly and
they
stay warm for quite some time in the evenings.
Snow will settle on the insulated surfaces such as grass much better.
The snow that is melting quickly would have shown little sign of
thawing
just a few weeks ago. I don't think it's down to recent mild weather
as
it used to happen in the 50's and 60's as well.
I've seen snow settle on roads in March quite a few times; eg 1995,
2001, even for a short while last year (12th). I always associate the
'slushy cover on grass, nothing on concrete' type with already wet
surfaces, plus sleety/wet snow at about 2C. (Seen that in January too).
Whereas this occurred just before sunrise, with dry surface and 0C. I
agree that later snowfalls do tend to melt quicker, but they can
still(IME)settle on roads.


I like February - April snow because it clears from paths and roads
much
more readily but still looks good.
I tend to like March and April in general- you can get just about any
kind of weather, the days are getting longer, etc etc.. :-)

Edmund

Soil temps may be higher, but how can you explain why the snow
settles
on cars, grass and decking. The fact the these accumulations are very
slushy even as they fall suggests to me that it is the air aloft
which
is just not cold enough - rather than the soil. Surely if the soil
was
too warm it would not settle in the first place.

It barely settled with the temp at freezing, which is why I'm pointing
the finger at soil (and concrete) temps. Cars are usually the first
place frost and snow accumulate. If the air aloft was too warm for
snow, wouldn't we expect freezing rain or ice pellets in these
conditions?

Edmund

Soil temps may be higher, but how can you explain why the snow
settles
on cars, grass and decking. The fact the these accumulations are very
slushy even as they fall suggests to me that it is the air aloft
which
is just not cold enough - rather than the soil. Surely if the soil
was
too warm it would not settle in the first place.

It barely settled with the temp at freezing, which is why I'm pointing
the finger at soil (and concrete) temps. Cars are usually the first
place frost and snow accumulate. If the air aloft was too warm for
snow, wouldn't we expect freezing rain or ice pellets in these
conditions?

Edmund

Soil temps may be higher, but how can you explain why the snow
settles
on cars, grass and decking. The fact the these accumulations are very
slushy even as they fall suggests to me that it is the air aloft
which
is just not cold enough - rather than the soil. Surely if the soil
was
too warm it would not settle in the first place.

It barely settled with the temp at freezing, which is why I'm pointing
the finger at soil (and concrete) temps. Cars are usually the first
place frost and snow accumulate. If the air aloft was too warm for
snow, wouldn't we expect freezing rain or ice pellets in these
conditions?

Edmund

Soil temps may be higher, but how can you explain why the snow
settles
on cars, grass and decking. The fact the these accumulations are very
slushy even as they fall suggests to me that it is the air aloft
which
is just not cold enough - rather than the soil. Surely if the soil
was
too warm it would not settle in the first place.

It barely settled with the temp at freezing, which is why I'm pointing
the finger at soil (and concrete) temps. Cars are usually the first
place frost and snow accumulate. If the air aloft was too warm for
snow, wouldn't we expect freezing rain or ice pellets in these
conditions?

Edmund

Hello Ken, I know what you are saying but this does just seem different down
here this year. For example, yesterday was pretty much cloudy all day and
the night temp around freezing. The snow did start sleety but was "proper"
stuff later and heavy. It didn't really even want to settle on the grass. At
that intensity and frequency I'd always found it to cool the surface
eventually enough to settle. I think it's just your Durham permafrost
myself. ;-)

Dave
"Ken Cook" wrote in message
...
Dave.C" wrote in message
.uk...
I'm still puzzled as to why the snow is reluctant to settle and
melting so
quickly.

Hi, Dave,

In my experience, snow will settle easily from November through to mid
February often better on hard surfaces. After mid February, the
insolation from the sun warms these hard surfaces more quickly and they
stay warm for quite some time in the evenings.

Snow will settle on the insulated surfaces such as grass much better.
The snow that is melting quickly would have shown little sign of thawing
just a few weeks ago. I don't think it's down to recent mild weather as
it used to happen in the 50's and 60's as well.

I like February - April snow because it clears from paths and roads much
more readily but still looks good.

HTH,

--
Ken Cook, Copley (5miles north of Barnard Castle), County Durham.
830ft
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/copley
(MO climat. site updated before 10Z and 19Z daily)
kencookATcopleydurham.freeserve.co.uk
(All times GMT)

Hello Ken, I know what you are saying but this does just seem different down
here this year. For example, yesterday was pretty much cloudy all day and
the night temp around freezing. The snow did start sleety but was "proper"
stuff later and heavy. It didn't really even want to settle on the grass. At
that intensity and frequency I'd always found it to cool the surface
eventually enough to settle. I think it's just your Durham permafrost
myself. ;-)

Dave
"Ken Cook" wrote in message
...
Dave.C" wrote in message
.uk...
I'm still puzzled as to why the snow is reluctant to settle and
melting so
quickly.

Hi, Dave,

In my experience, snow will settle easily from November through to mid
February often better on hard surfaces. After mid February, the
insolation from the sun warms these hard surfaces more quickly and they
stay warm for quite some time in the evenings.

Snow will settle on the insulated surfaces such as grass much better.
The snow that is melting quickly would have shown little sign of thawing
just a few weeks ago. I don't think it's down to recent mild weather as
it used to happen in the 50's and 60's as well.

I like February - April snow because it clears from paths and roads much
more readily but still looks good.

HTH,

--
Ken Cook, Copley (5miles north of Barnard Castle), County Durham.
830ft
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/copley
(MO climat. site updated before 10Z and 19Z daily)
kencookATcopleydurham.freeserve.co.uk
(All times GMT)

Hello Ken, I know what you are saying but this does just seem different down
here this year. For example, yesterday was pretty much cloudy all day and
the night temp around freezing. The snow did start sleety but was "proper"
stuff later and heavy. It didn't really even want to settle on the grass. At
that intensity and frequency I'd always found it to cool the surface
eventually enough to settle. I think it's just your Durham permafrost
myself. ;-)

Dave
"Ken Cook" wrote in message
...
Dave.C" wrote in message
.uk...
I'm still puzzled as to why the snow is reluctant to settle and
melting so
quickly.

Hi, Dave,

In my experience, snow will settle easily from November through to mid
February often better on hard surfaces. After mid February, the
insolation from the sun warms these hard surfaces more quickly and they
stay warm for quite some time in the evenings.

Snow will settle on the insulated surfaces such as grass much better.
The snow that is melting quickly would have shown little sign of thawing
just a few weeks ago. I don't think it's down to recent mild weather as
it used to happen in the 50's and 60's as well.

I like February - April snow because it clears from paths and roads much
more readily but still looks good.

HTH,

--
Ken Cook, Copley (5miles north of Barnard Castle), County Durham.
830ft
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/copley
(MO climat. site updated before 10Z and 19Z daily)
kencookATcopleydurham.freeserve.co.uk
(All times GMT)

Hello Ken, I know what you are saying but this does just seem different down
here this year. For example, yesterday was pretty much cloudy all day and
the night temp around freezing. The snow did start sleety but was "proper"
stuff later and heavy. It didn't really even want to settle on the grass. At
that intensity and frequency I'd always found it to cool the surface
eventually enough to settle. I think it's just your Durham permafrost
myself. ;-)

Dave
"Ken Cook" wrote in message
...
Dave.C" wrote in message
.uk...
I'm still puzzled as to why the snow is reluctant to settle and
melting so
quickly.

Hi, Dave,

In my experience, snow will settle easily from November through to mid
February often better on hard surfaces. After mid February, the
insolation from the sun warms these hard surfaces more quickly and they
stay warm for quite some time in the evenings.

Snow will settle on the insulated surfaces such as grass much better.
The snow that is melting quickly would have shown little sign of thawing
just a few weeks ago. I don't think it's down to recent mild weather as
it used to happen in the 50's and 60's as well.

I like February - April snow because it clears from paths and roads much
more readily but still looks good.

HTH,

--
Ken Cook, Copley (5miles north of Barnard Castle), County Durham.
830ft
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/copley
(MO climat. site updated before 10Z and 19Z daily)
kencookATcopleydurham.freeserve.co.uk
(All times GMT)

"Dave.C" wrote in message
. uk...
Hello Ken, I know what you are saying but this does just seem
different down
here this year. snip I think it's just your Durham permafrost
myself. ;-)

Dave

Hi, Dave,

LOL!!

It's still looking good for you in the next few days. If it's heavy
enough, it'll lie. Then you need a north facing field, preferably shaded
by high trees.

Good luck,

--
Ken
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/copley
kencookATcopleydurham.freeserve.co.uk