Snow On The Scottish Mountains 2015.

[johnholmes]

Try this one John, The BBC seem to have cottoned on to it... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-34113797?SThisFB

 

thanks-some ride that, a big advert for Ford in those days?

[Norrance]

Snow patch count from the 21st Aug up to 654 with perhaps a few to come and given the scale a few missed. The warm SE gale just after the count probably put paid to a few but nevertheless a huge number making it through until September.

[seaside 60]

Sorry can not help there, Works for me? Shows footage of the Ford T driving down Ben Nevis in 1911 with snow patches and the old weather observatory. 

Works for me, quite impressive from a long time ago, main factor being high draft.

Doe anyone know if its been done in recent years.

[Polar Maritime]

Snow tunnel yesterday at Point 5 Gully Ben Nevis (Credit Firefly)

 

[NorthernRab]

Well done Helen.

 

The snow-hunter: this woman has skied 70 months in a row after beating cancer

 

http://www.scotlandnow.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/snow-hunter-woman-skied-70-6338835

My old geography teacher!

[Polar Maritime]

 

Search for summer snow: Meet the man who hunts for Scots spots that never thaw

 

IAIN CAMERON is one of the only people in Scotland unperturbed by the worst summer in recent memory.

When everyone else was seeking out the sun, he was drawn to the country’s coldest corners.

Iain is one of a growing number of summer snow enthusiasts and has become a leading voice in the peculiar study of the spectacular frozen patches which cling to our mountains all year round.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/outdoors/search-summer-snow-meet-man-6457048

Edited September 17, 2015 by Polar Maritime

[Polar Maritime]

Some truly stunning snow tunnels in evidence this Autumn.. Credit Alistair Todd

 

Edited September 20, 2015 by Polar Maritime

[Polar Maritime]

1st snowfall of the season on Ben Nevis yesterday.

 

Edited September 25, 2015 by Polar Maritime

[Polar Maritime]

A highly unusual discovery has been made on Sgurr na Lapaich in the northwest Highlands, where signs suggest that a huge summertime avalanche of snow, mud and rock took place. This mixture has covered a pre-existing snow patch, which now bears a striking resemblance to a debris-strewn dirty glacier.

More here: http://www.ukhillwalking.com/news/item.php?id=70000

Edited September 28, 2015 by Polar Maritime

[solarcycle]

A highly unusual discovery has been made on Sgurr na Lapaich in the northwest Highlands, where signs suggest that a huge summertime avalanche of snow, mud and rock took place. This mixture has covered a pre-existing snow patch, which now bears a striking resemblance to a debris-strewn dirty glacier.

More here: http://www.ukhillwalking.com/news/item.php?id=70000

 

So I'm guessing the soil would have acted as a protective layer and reduced the rate of snow melt beneath?

[4wd]

It's rather odd this seems to be practically unknown before.
Are we seeing how small glaciers would start to form?

[The PIT]

It's rather odd this seems to be practically unknown before.

Are we seeing how small glaciers would start to form?

No I don't think so. Althouigh glaciers even today given the right conditions can still form pretty quickly. See MT Helens for example and these Glaciers even survived the heat from the last eruption.

[hillbilly]

When I used to work on a farm in the 80's and 90's there were several times that manure was dragged out of the buildings and piled up outside either mixed up with snow or piled on top of drifts.Bearing in mind we were at 365metre snow laid buried for a conciderable time after all remaining snow around the hills had gone.I do remember one time ,am guessing it was all but summer when spreading the muck I was surprised to find lumps of ice mixed in ,I guess the ice must have been buried too but lasted even longer than any snow.I wish I had made a not of the dates but it does go to show how soil/muck can insulate snow or ice.

[4wd]

Indeed, here is a recent example. 7th May 2013

[johnholmes]

When I used to work on a farm in the 80's and 90's there were several times that manure was dragged out of the buildings and piled up outside either mixed up with snow or piled on top of drifts.Bearing in mind we were at 365metre snow laid buried for a conciderable time after all remaining snow around the hills had gone.I do remember one time ,am guessing it was all but summer when spreading the muck I was surprised to find lumps of ice mixed in ,I guess the ice must have been buried too but lasted even longer than any snow.I wish I had made a not of the dates but it does go to show how soil/muck can insulate snow or ice.

 

After the severe winter of 1947 when open cast coal mining around the village had to stop, large amounts of snow were buried. In the August there was a picture in the Derbyshire Times of us kids snow balling, the snow only lasted a few hour.

[Polar Maritime]

Snow has survived on a Glen Coe Munro for the longest time in living memory, according to the area's ski resort.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-34400982

[Norrance]

24C in Braemar yesterday. 22C in Aviemore. 23C in Aboyne the day before. However overnight Braemar got down to -1.3C and the air is dry so hopefully not too much impact on the remaining patches.

As an aside that was a pretty big temperature range in Braemar.

[Polar Maritime]

All Credit to Firefly.

#12 - August snow survey 2015

http://theiaincameron.tumblr.com/post/130550839541/12-august-snow-survey-2015

At long last I have the complete figures in from the August 2015 snow survey that was conducted on the 21st and 22nd of that month. There were a couple of discrepancies up until recently, but I have now ironed these out.

The total number of patches counted across Scotland was 678 (see table below). This is way more than double the amount for 2014, and hundreds more than any year since the survey was started in 2008.

Totals since 2008

2008 - 34

2009 - 35

2010 - 34

2011 - 36

2012 - 72

2013 - 81

2014 - 281

2015 - 678

We caution that this total, though very impressive, is likely to be too low. Given the amount of snow that was present all over the hills it’s almost certain that some were missed. However, the patches listed here are confirmed ones, and that’s what we have to go with.

Thanks are due to a lot of people who assisted in this. Everyone who went out did so at their own expense of time and cost. Without these folk the survey would have been impossible.

A small percentage of these patches will survive until winter (typically about 8% of the August total survives). Whether 8% of the August total will survive (~54 patches) is debatable. We will have to keep watching.

 

http://theiaincameron.tumblr.com/post/130550839541/12-august-snow-survey-2015

Edited October 5, 2015 by Polar Maritime

[phil nw.]

 

All Credit to Firefly.

#12 - August snow survey 2015

http://theiaincameron.tumblr.com/post/130550839541/12-august-snow-survey-2015

At long last I have the complete figures in from the August 2015 snow survey that was conducted on the 21st and 22nd of that month. There were a couple of discrepancies up until recently, but I have now ironed these out.

The total number of patches counted across Scotland was 678 (see table below). This is way more than double the amount for 2014, and hundreds more than any year since the survey was started in 2008.

Totals since 2008

2008 - 34

2009 - 35

2010 - 34

2011 - 36

2012 - 72

2013 - 81

2014 - 281

2015 - 678

We caution that this total, though very impressive, is likely to be too low. Given the amount of snow that was present all over the hills it’s almost certain that some were missed. However, the patches listed here are confirmed ones, and that’s what we have to go with.

Thanks are due to a lot of people who assisted in this. Everyone who went out did so at their own expense of time and cost. Without these folk the survey would have been impossible.

A small percentage of these patches will survive until winter (typically about 8% of the August total survives). Whether 8% of the August total will survive (~54 patches) is debatable. We will have to keep watching.

 

http://theiaincameron.tumblr.com/post/130550839541/12-august-snow-survey-2015

 

Cheers for that PM-good work again by Firefly.

An impressive increase in the number of survivors this year,a sign i guess of a lot of cool weather up there through the Summer.

[ANYWEATHER]

Well looking at the evidence above there is no doubt at all that the Scottish Mountains are seeing some very interesting times as regards snow survival in recent years. Will be interesting to see if there is another massive increase next year  

[Hocus Pocus]

A huge spike upwards from 2013, whether this is a blip or not we'll too find out, but interesting times ahead for sure.

[Harve]

The records go a lot further back than 2008, no? How has this year compared to 1994?

[Ravelin]

The records go a lot further back than 2008, no? How has this year compared to 1994?

 

I don't think they do go back any further. This survey pretty much involves a load of people volunteering to head out into the hills on specified dates and physically counting the number of snow patches they see. Originally just one guys obsession, so I don't think the records are that long.

[skifreak]

The records go a lot further back than 2008, no? How has this year compared to 1994?

 

Records of surviving snow patches do, but the end of August snow survey as currently conducted was started in 2008. The peak measured snow depth in the upper Main Basin at Glencoe in 2015 actually surpassed the 2014 figure. While it's difficult to make direct comparisons with 1994 where the top ski tows were buried and out of action for much of the season, it should be noted that:

 

1. The lift towers on the Main Basin T-bar are relatively new and are all several metres taller than the old ones which were present in 1994 were.
2. Glencoe took delivery of a new top of the range Kassbohrer PB600 winchcat - they had vastly more snow shifting power than in 2013, let alone 1994. Without the modern kit, despite significantly taller towers the Main Basin T-bar would have been hopelessly buried and out of use. 

 

^Digging out the Main Basin T-bar in March 2014.

 

^For perspective - the Patrol Station and base of the two upper tows. Note the grey vent poles for the transformer in both images, also the March 2014 image note how the photo is taken looking down on the bullwheel of the top button tow, compare to the second photo and note how the ground actually drops away sharply (onto a black graded ski run). The March 2014 photo was taken standing on the snow, ordinarily you'd need a drone to get that view! 

Edited October 14, 2015 by skifreak

[Polar Maritime]

A fantastic series of pictures of the Feith Buidhe slabs on Ben Macdui, from James Roddie in his new blog entry. A great write-up, too.

http://jamesroddie.com/…/autumn-snow-tunnels-in-the-cairng…/