 Poster: A snowHead
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Massive snow depths are usually a result of drifting, which is familiar to Scottish skiers who often ski on snow over 10 metres deep in the corries.
This snow depth sign from Keweenaw County in Michigan graphically illustrates a record snow depth (390 inches - over 38ft (around 10 metres) in winter 1978-79, which looks to be non-drifted snow. Pretty remarkable when you take the compaction into account. Presumably at least double that depth has to fall to create the measured depth (does anyone know?)
BTW. Can anyone read the text on the sign next to the measurement post?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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David Goldsmith, I think you may be mis-interpreting what you see. The sign says "Record High Snowfall" - the US resorts tend to boast about the total snowfall for the year, not the actual depth.
- Alta has around 500 inches a year, Winter Park, 365.
This would seem to confirm my suspicions:
http://www.keweenaw.info/conditions.aspx
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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390 inches of snow would be (very roughly) 39 inches of rain. That's be one hell of a lot if it fell in one go. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Good point, Fox, I took one look at that photo and thought "Wow, the snow was as high as that tree", which I suspect is what most people think when they see that sign.
The question then, as above, is what height 390 inches of accumulated snowfall would typically compact to?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I heard talk of an overnight dump of snow of 13ft!! I think it was in Chatel and witnessed by someone very famous.
I don't know if it's true though 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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David Goldsmith, it depends on the type of snow. I'll see if I can be bothered to look up the stats and find out...
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Found the answer!
"I have found that lake effect snow generally settles at a rate of about 6:1, meaning that over time, 6" of lake effect snow will settle to about 1"."
From: http://www.johndee.com/snowstation.htm
(Which is about Keweenaw snow)
This means 390" fallen is only about 65" base, i.e. 5' 5", or 1.65m
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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David Goldsmith, Over 300 metres.
We've covered the Cascades before on here, imagine what it would have been like if the coastal range didn't exist!
New Kid On The Block, roughly 396mm rainfall equivalent or about 50mm an hour if over 8 hours. As rain, that bring bad flooding, so they were lucky it was snow!
(I think)
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What is lake effect snow?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You know it makes sense.
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Peter S, the Ciste gully certainly is a snow trap. When the snow's filled it to form a natural halfpipe it's a really great run.
Regarding snow depths, it would be good to see one or two measurement poles around the Scottish hills so people can see how it's piling up. A 110 pole would be ridiculous, but one could maybe screw additional sections in place as the snow rises during the winter. I might post the suggestion on Winterhighland.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Record depth of snow on Hayling Island over the last few years is 30microns (Cumulative, that is)
Not sure if it was lake effect or sea effect.
Mind you it was very impressive 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Lake effect snow is absolutely horizontal, contains fish, and you can row a boat in it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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FAQ
