Keweenaw snow photos

[Rustyiron]

....but you must still have some killer snow banks from plowed areas.
It does surprise me that you have that much melting/settling during the season to only accumulate 48". You must get a lot of "primo" light powdery snowfalls.

 

[ArlyA]

Snow naturally goes down, lots. When groomers work it, they are speeding up the same process. That is taking the air out.

 

[masscity]

I live 30 miles south of the sign. Our winter snow amounts are lower than average now. When you get 300 inches, the snow in the fields is usually around 3-4 feet, because of settling. Snow weight and mini thaws. Other wise nobody could move up here.

 

[SwingOak]

And especially in the late fall/early winter when there is a lot of snow on unfrozen ground, it melts from the bottom. The snow insulates the ground and slows ir from freezing, so it's not uncommon to still have cold temperatures in the early winter and lose a lot of the snowpack. Taking the air out compacts it, slows snowpack depletion, and reduces insulating capacity allowing the ground to freeze.

When it's really cold in the winter, there is still a significant amount of snowpack loss from sublimation, where the snow doesn't melt, but goes directly from a frozen to gaseous state.

When I lived in the high country out west, it was not uncommon to get 2-3 feet of soft fluffy powder, and by afternoon there'd be 6" of snow on the ground from settling and sublimation. If you get to work early enough in the day, you can clear your driveway or sidewalk with a leaf blower.

 

[civilian]

Doesn't the ground not freeze under the snow ? Jon

 

[ArlyA]

Doesn't the ground not freeze under the snow ? Jon

It doesn't freeze. Cools off yes but with snow cover, never freezes. I'd guess it does get close to 32.

 

[SwingOak]

If there's not a deep snowpack and the temperatures remain below freezing for a week or two, then yes the ground will freeze - sub zero temps help. But it takes a long time if there's a substantial amount of snow on unfrozen ground.

This is why animals and birds (like Ruffed Grouse) burrow in the snow at night - it never gets any colder than 32°F under the snow even if the air temp is -30°F, and the snow insulates them.

Edit: it DOES get colder than 32°F under the snow, but as the snow is an insulator the birds stay quite warm in their snow roosts. Same principle as an igloo.

 

[ArlyA]

If there's not a deep snowpack and the temperatures remain below freezing for a week or two, then yes the ground will freeze - sub zero temps help. But it takes a long time if there's a substantial amount of snow on unfrozen ground.

This is why animals and birds (like Ruffed Grouse) burrow in the snow at night - it never gets any colder than 32°F under the snow even if the air temp is -30°F, and the snow insulates them.

and where does swingoak live?

 

[civilian]

And that ground temperature of 33 degrees help pack the snow and condense the snow amount on the ground over the course of the winter. Jon

 

[jjeff]

Here's what I know about snow covering the ground from various experiences you never drove snowmobiles, ATVs plow or even walk over your septic drain field or sewer line it will freeze cuz you compacted the snow there by taking away it's insulating properties. The yearly frost line is measured on plowed county roads up north it's been over 4' even in more recent yrs, from building up there i had to put footers/ sono tubes etc down at least 4.5' Early snow storms, most diehard winter sports enthusiasts want it to melt cuz the ground isn't frozen yet and prevents a good base from forming.