Alan, thanks for checking. Having some strange behaviour on this laptop. This is another symptom

Amazingly the snow patchs on Chapel Fell - visible on the weardale ski club webcam - are still hanging on in there. If they last another week then snow will have been visible on the webcam for 3months (allowing for fog / cloud). The patch is from December 2011.

[www.skiweardale.com]

OAP - I was out for a spin on the bike last week and looking over from the road could see that some of them had significant depth then. Despite a a hard frost in the ground and lots of ice on anything high or in the shade they've reduced a fair bit this week and I don't envisage them lasting the month given the forecast. In April a couple of years ago I skied several patches on that side almost down to the beck. It was a sunny day with fantastic spring snow - but thinking back maybe it was late March, I forget. That season you could ski through May at a couple of locations in the Pennines though.

Despite the presence of snow patches like these though there hasn't really been much widespread build up of snow at any time this winter in the Pennines and it hasn't been a good one (yet) for skiing. Lakes look to have fared much better.

Funny old Pennine season, the snow just seems really good at missing us at the moment.

I really didn't think those patches were going to make it through the week. Does it look like anything has lasted on Cross Fell?

I don't know if this thread is the 'official' Southern Scotland England and Wales snow patch thread but if not then this can be reposted elsewhere.
Cheviots, Feb 24th. Had a wander up and was amazed to find one small patch was just hanging on in the upper reaches of the Bizzle Burn, GR903212 measuring about 3x3' and not very deep.
Considering how little snow we've had in Northumberland and the very warm temperatures we've all had recently I was really surprised, though given the 13degC temps we've had this week i doubt that it will be still there.

Attachments: 1Bizzle Burn Feb 2012.JPG (179kB)   2Bizzle Burn Feb 2012.JPG (178kB)   3Bizzle Burn Feb 2012.JPG (199kB)  

Thanks, Jonathan.

Since this thread is here then I suppose it's as good a place as any to post up the longevity (or lack thereof) of English and Welsh snow.

I'm not really surprised that there was a wee bit holding out at the Bizzle area of the Cheviot. It is only March! And, I suspect that there'll be other patches to seek out after more snow comes by in March. Fear ye not!

actually as soon as this subject comes up a decent dump is forecast over northern England on Sunday / Monday

One Chapel Fell snow patch was still visible on the 1st March 2012 Weardale Ski Club web cam shot.

Caught a brief glimpse of Helvellyn today from the M6! Still a reasonable size cornice on the summit plateau, and the usual one at the head of Brown Cove. Amazing what one can pick out in a matter of seconds!

A good picture from yesterday showing the remaining snow on Helvellyn. The main Brown Cove snow is partially obscured, but visible as the right-most patch.

Paul Crabtree reporting "a few small patches" still persisting on Cross Fell.

today on Helvellyn, courtesy of Weatherline;



Attachments: today.jpg (48kB)  

Helvelyn 25th March, will do well to make it too April with forecast!

Attachments: today.jpg (47kB)  

That particular snow will be lucky to survive, but the longer-lying patch at Brown Cove will last longer. Almost certainly into April. How long into that month, though, is another matter!

Firefly, do you have any average dates for the Brown cove patch dissappearance? I seem to remember last few seasons generally first half of April? THe GFS is looking cool and potentially snowy for northern hills from first week of April on wards so you never know, may get a little top up yet!

Photos taken in the Lakes yesterday. A very hot day: T-shirt was plenty even on the tops

1. Small patches of snow along the Helvellyn skyline, won't last long
2. Red Tarn headwall. Estimated 1m maximum thickness at top, tapering to about 0.1 m at edges
3. The main Brown Cove patch, largest seen during the day. Hard to estimate how big it is since it a fair way down into the corrie.





Edited 2 times. Last edit at 21.43hrs Mon 26 Mar 12 by NeilH.

Attachments: 1.Helvellyn range from Birks.JPG (65kB)   2.Red Tarn patches.JPG (118kB)   3.Brown Cove patches from Lower Man.JPG (71kB)