Snow and remaining snow patches

[Norrance]

They have melted a lot in the last week but are still there. Down from 6 feet or so to about 2 feet in height.Here are a couple of photos taken this morning at Tesco's, South Road, Dundee, about 30 mtrs asl.

I noticed driving past the nearby Technology Park that there are much bigger piles in a Call Centre car park but I couldn't stop. Also my daughter tells me that there are sill some in Invergowrie and at Liff school that are much bigger. May take the dog out for a walk round that way tomorrow and see for myself.

Have these taken on some characteristics of the snow patches having come through a very cold late Nov and December? The mid-December thaw here was only partial as we missed the higher temps recorded elsewhere. From Christmas to mid-Jan they were in a freeze thaw type regime and from then a more occasional freeze but not many very warm days.

Edit. My wife thinks that I am crazed to be taking photos of dirty snow piles in a Tescos car park [but at least she got me to do the shopping.]

Edited February 26, 2011 by Norrance

[stewfox]

They have melted a lot in the last week but are still there. Down from 6 feet or so to about 2 feet in height.Here are a couple of photos taken this morning at Tesco's, South Road, Dundee, about 30 mtrs asl.

I noticed driving past the nearby Technology Park that there are much bigger piles in a Call Centre car park but I couldn't stop. Also my daughter tells me that there are sill some in Invergowrie and at Liff school that are much bigger. May take the dog out for a walk round that way tomorrow and see for myself.

Have these taken on some characteristics of the snow patches having come through a very cold late Nov and December? The mid-December thaw here was only partial as we missed the higher temps recorded elsewhere. From Christmas to mid-Jan they were in a freeze thaw type regime and from then a more occasional freeze but not many very warm days.

Edit. My wife thinks that I am crazed to be taking photos of dirty snow piles in a Tescos car park [but at least she got me to do the shopping.]

Thanks for that

To see even in Banbury after 8 weeks large mounds of snow.. and people moan about this winter.

[Norrance]

Just filled up with petrol at the local Tescos. A couple of the piles are still there but no more than one foot high now. Still amazing to think that this snow remains from the end of November. A few piles remain in other car parks and where snow was removed from roads. Near me outside Liff school is one example but there not many left now.

[cheeky_monkey]

as a side topic here in Edmonton thay have to clear the snow from the roads during the winter and they pile it up on the outskirts of the city..i have seen one pile that must be 200ft high (ill try and get a pic) no joke..im taking bets to see how long into summer it will last

[johnholmes]

sorry not quite on topic but sure is some snowfall if its a genuine set of potos and they look gebuine to me!

http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=70171

[Tucco]

The lack of heavy snow over winter and mild Febuary has meant the N Pennines and Lake District have snow patches numbers you expect in mid May.

[firefly]

The lack of heavy snow over winter and mild Febuary has meant the N Pennines and Lake District have snow patches numbers you expect in mid May.

Tucco, what hills are you talking about? I'm guessing Cross Fell & Great Dun Fell in the Pennines? Possibly Helvellyn in the Lakes? I'm guessing you're near Penrith? I'd be very interested to know how big and how many patches there are.

Thanks.

[Mountain Snow]

Was up Helvellyn a week ago, still some big patches on the east faces. Surprised at Cross Fell's west face, about as much snow as there was last june!

Just shows how little snow came from the east during that nov/dec spell. Most of the snow in the Lake District fells came from westerlies in january.

[Tucco]

Tucco, what hills are you talking about? I'm guessing Cross Fell & Great Dun Fell in the Pennines? Possibly Helvellyn in the Lakes? I'm guessing you're near Penrith? I'd be very interested to know how big and how many patches there are.

Thanks.

Yes Cross Fell/Great Dun Fell. I live in Teesdale and work in Cumbria.

The drift on the western slope of Cross Fell isn't as significant as last year, this could be due to several factors. The November spell was the only heavy snowfall for the Pennines. Typical of North Easterly events, the snow was restricted to the far East of Cumbria.

Rapid thaw around the 10th Dec meant significant snow loss from the November event before the dry very cold spell occurred.

Heavy rainfall in Jan and Feb meant the western slope was exposed unlike last year which was colder but more importantly very dry.

Lack of Easterly winds in Jan/Feb meany any small falls of snow wouldn't have drifted off the summit plateaux to add the western drift

[Mountain Snow]

Popped into Penrith this morning, snow on Cross Fell now almost non existent. Helvellyn looking plastered with the stuff, old snow and alot of fresh from recent days. Should get another decent top up tonight.

Looks like Helvellyn will win this year for these parts.

[firefly]

Popped into Penrith this morning, snow on Cross Fell now almost non existent. Helvellyn looking plastered with the stuff, old snow and alot of fresh from recent days. Should get another decent top up tonight.

Looks like Helvellyn will win this year for these parts.

Maybe, maybe not! Remember, the longest lying snow on Cross Fell cannot be seen from Penrith. Alston gives the best view for the longest patch, which is situated on the north east of the hill usually. Helvellyn's longest lying snow is pretty visible from higher ground around Penrith, so I'm not surprised at the difference you can see from there.

[stewfox]

Maybe, maybe not! Remember, the longest lying snow on Cross Fell cannot be seen from Penrith. Alston gives the best view for the longest patch, which is situated on the north east of the hill usually. Helvellyn's longest lying snow is pretty visible from higher ground around Penrith, so I'm not surprised at the difference you can see from there.

Yes and the Spa shop can only been when your over the ridge

[Norrance]

Despite the snowfall this morning the piles in Tescos car-park that I have been keeping an eye on had gone by today.

Down in the Dundee Technology Park Call Centre they still survive though at 10/15 mtrs asl. Here is a picture from late November of a snow pile in Explorer road in the Technology Park just across from that parking area. [This particular pile went in late January].

[firefly]

Remarkable, Norrance. Snow from November still persists at Technology Park, Dundee?! Amazing.

[firefly]

Norrance, are the Dundee Technology Park snow piles still there?! I'm fascinated, and curious!

[Norrance]

Norrance, are the Dundee Technology Park snow piles still there?! I'm fascinated, and curious!

Funnily enough I drove past there this morning and did not see anything left. I spotted your message at lunchtime so in passing had another look in the afternoon and again from the road could see none. However I decided to drive in and have a look. Despite a couple of funny looks from the fly smokers at the back of the office I drove right down to the far end of the car park and there, desite being only a few inches high and a few feet long and almost totally black and grey there were a couple of piles left . Doubt that they will last more than another day or two but still there. The frosts in the last few days must have given them an extra little boost.

Cheers

Nor.

ps Did too much of the last weekends snowfall end up being blown on to the West facing slopes to help the patches later this year?

Edited March 19, 2011 by Norrance

[firefly]

<...> desite being only a few inches high and a few feet long and almost totally black and grey there were a couple of piles left . Doubt that they will last more than another day or two but still there. The frosts in the last few days must have given them an extra little boost.

Thanks, Norrance. Amazing, really. What date do you reckon this snow is from? November 28th?

ps Did too much of the last weekends snowfall end up being blown on to the West facing slopes to help the patches later this year?

In a word, yes. The snow this year on NE aspects is much deeper than last year, and about on par with 2008 (which is good). Although it may not be a vintage year this year, it is certainly shaping up to be decent.

[Norrance]

Thanks, Norrance. Amazing, really. What date do you reckon this snow is from? November 28th?

Yes, the first big fall was on the 28th, the day of the thundersnow. Snow did fall on the following five days also but I think that the piles were created on the 28th or 29th which if I remember rightly was the Monday.

ps. Temp reached 11.4c here today. The mildest for some time. Doubt if they will make it another 24 hours with the warmer night to come.

Edited March 20, 2011 by Norrance

[4wd]

I'm fairly sure the NYMoors are clear of snow now, but I was surprised yesterday - stirring the farm slurry pit in readiness for spreading this week, a substantial 'iceberg' of frozen slurry and snow refused to mix in - it had formed where snow and frozen slurry had been pushed in before Christmas then covered with more insulating material.

The block is almost the size of an old-style mini car.

[firefly]

I'm fairly sure the NYMoors are clear of snow now, but I was surprised yesterday - stirring the farm slurry pit in readiness for spreading this week, a substantial 'iceberg' of frozen slurry and snow refused to mix in - it had formed where snow and frozen slurry had been pushed in before Christmas then covered with more insulating material.

The block is almost the size of an old-style mini car.

4wd, this is very interesting. When you say 'pushed in', what do you mean exactly? Also, what size was the slurry pit? I'm guessing the frozen bit of slurry that didn't mix in was in the centre of the pit?

Also, I don't suppose you've a picture of it, do you?

[4wd]

Someone else asked for a picture, but from any distance it just looks like a big piece of slurry crust (think dryish manure).

But when I was stirring the tank it slowly floated round to the propellor-like stirrer and when it hit the blades it was fairly solid ice and frozen cow poo, with brown snow in it too.

The pit is a concrete walled tank about 8 feet deep, there's no cover on it other than a naturally forming crust of rather strawy material a foot or more deep, floating on more liquid stuff below.

- this is what needs to be mixed in to make smooth slurry which can be spread by tankers without blocking the inlet and outlet of the tanker when the pump is running.

Where the cattle are kept they have access to outside yards which are normally scraped into the pit daily.

If it's very frosty this is almost impossible but eventually a lot of 'green snow' and icy mush builds up and has to be shoved in the pit anyway.

There's usually some strawy material in there too so the icy pile tends to get more quite insulating material on top of it.

The pit is also something of a cold sink and you often see ice forming in there at the slightest hint of ground frost.

The frozen mass just suddenly floated up but I guess it was trapped near the side where it was originally pushed in by the tractor weeks ago.

Edited March 21, 2011 by 4wd

[firefly]

Thanks, 4wd. Very interesting indeed. Can you PM me your name. I'll explain when you do!

[❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️]

Someone else asked for a picture, but from any distance it just looks like a big piece of slurry crust (think dryish manure).

But when I was stirring the tank it slowly floated round to the propellor-like stirrer and when it hit the blades it was fairly solid ice and frozen cow poo, with brown snow in it too.

The pit is a concrete walled tank about 8 feet deep, there's no cover on it other than a naturally forming crust of rather strawy material a foot or more deep, floating on more liquid stuff below.

- this is what needs to be mixed in to make smooth slurry which can be spread by tankers without blocking the inlet and outlet of the tanker when the pump is running.

Where the cattle are kept they have access to outside yards which are normally scraped into the pit daily.

If it's very frosty this is almost impossible but eventually a lot of 'green snow' and icy mush builds up and has to be shoved in the pit anyway.

There's usually some strawy material in there too so the icy pile tends to get more quite insulating material on top of it.

The pit is also something of a cold sink and you often see ice forming in there at the slightest hint of ground frost.

The frozen mass just suddenly floated up but I guess it was trapped near the side where it was originally pushed in by the tractor weeks ago.

Just a quick question from an idiot. What is with the spreading slurry over fields? They've done it near here the past few days, and unsurprisingly it stinks.

It's funny, i thought the model output discussion was the only place where the thread degrades into people talking about sh**!

[4wd]

"Free" fertiliser at the start of growing season.

The smell dissipates after 2 or 3 days.

Cow slurry isn't too bad, but pigs really smells, no doubt about it. :wacko:

[spindrift1980]

Firefly, i know its not exactly an area well-known for its late snow patch retention, but if you're interested in the more southern patches at this time in the year, there were still a fair smattering of respectable-sized patches on the Galloway hills in south-west Scotland yesterday. No idea though if they have all persisted since the beginning of winter or have been re-established by recent falls.

Corserine has what seems to be a wreath broken into a multitude of patches above its east-facing corrie at ~800m asl, clearly visible for many miles, at the spot identified on the OS map as the 'Scar of the Folk'. Also the remnants of a cornice on the NW-facing Polmaddy Gairy and even some patches on SSW-facing aspects. Merrick and Kirriereoch Hill have some patches visible for many miles on their N-NNE facing aspects. Also some on the east-facing side of Cairnsmore of Carsphairn.