Snow Watch 2014

05 Feb 2014 08:08 - 16 Jan 2015 10:05 #59626 by JonWells
Snow Watch 2014 was created by JonWells
This is the official thread for Snow Watch 2014. Feel free to post pictures, information, questions and reports about the snow conditions in the Drakensberg for 2014. The idea is to keep track of the snowfalls, pool information about where the snow is for those that want to go see it, and simply to have a place to express the joy and experiences you may have had if you have witnessed the grandeur of the Dragon clothed in white.

Historical Snow Watch threads:
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013

2014 Snowfalls:

1. 15 April - A low-key start to the season with a small amount of snow visible in the very high ground surrounding Thabana Ntlenyana and Mafadi. Details

2. 22-23 April - Light but widespread snowfall on most of the high ground from Tiffindell to Afriski. Details

3. 21-22 May - Light snow falls on parts of the 3000m+ peaks of North Western Lesotho, as well as the 3200m+ peaks in the Afriski, Thabana Ntlenyana and Garden Castle regions. There was also an isolated fall of snow in the Tiffindell region above 2900m. Details

4. 5-6 June - Light snow fell in the following places 1- Afriski Region 2- High Ridges to the North and South of Sani Pass 3- High ground to the South West of Tsepeng Pass, 4- High ground in Central and Western Lesotho 5- High ground between Ongeluksnek Pass and Tiffindell 6- High ground between Lotheni and Impendle in the KZN Midlands 7- High ground Between Mooi River and Estcourt. Details

5. 26-27 June - Very isolated snowfall in the Makoaneng region, as well as the mountains near Tiffindell.

6. 29-30 June - Afriski Webcam reveals an unexpected overnight dusting of snow. Details

7. 7-8 July - Light and isolated falls were reported in Curry's Post, Mooi River, Nottingham Road, Impendle, Boston, Bushman's Nek, Kokstad, Drakensberg Gardens, Sani Pass and Swartberg. There was also snowfalls on most of the mountain south of the Mnweni region. Details

8. 12 July - Good falls reported on the high ground of the Eastern Cape, especially around Tiffindell. Very light snow also reported at Afriski. Details

9. 6-7 August - Reports of snow at both Afriski and Tiffindell regions Details

10. 9 August - Another round of very light snowfalls reported at Afriski, Mafadi, Amphitheatre and Sani Pass. Details

11. 21 August - Snow fell over large parts of the Drakensberg but was restricted to areas mainly over 3100m Details

12. 29 August - Large cold front brought light snowfalls to a large number of regions, with some good falls in the Eastern Cape. KZN areas included Swartberg and Drakensberg Gardens. Escarpment areas included the regions above Garden Castle, Vergelegen and Afriski. There were also some flurries reported in parts of the midlands. Details

13. 2-3 October - Light snow fall confirmed in the Sani Pass region Details

14. 16-17 October - Snow reported at Tiffindell and the KZN Southern Drakensberg down to approximately 2500m. There was also a light dusting at Afriski. Details
Last edit: 16 Jan 2015 10:05 by JonWells.

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27 Mar 2014 08:11 #60037 by elandman
Replied by elandman on topic Snow Watch 2014
This morning in Durban reminded me of the mornings in winter one would wake up, look outside and say, ooo lets go find some snow!!
Very keen for some whiteout this year!

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27 Mar 2014 09:21 #60040 by JonWells
Replied by JonWells on topic Snow Watch 2014
So who wants to guess the date of the first snowfall of 2014?

Going by the data of the previous years snow watch threads, these were the first reported snowfalls of the past 5 years:

2009- 24 April
2010- 10 June
2011- 15 April
2012- 31 March
2013- 3 April

Come on Ghaz, we know you're on a hot guessing streak lately!

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27 Mar 2014 09:51 #60041 by ghaznavid
Replied by ghaznavid on topic Snow Watch 2014
I was actually kind of hoping that this massive cold front would bring the first one of the year. But I'm going with 14 April.

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27 Mar 2014 10:04 - 27 Mar 2014 10:05 #60042 by elandman
Replied by elandman on topic Snow Watch 2014
im guessing week of 7th or 14th.... more 14th
Last edit: 27 Mar 2014 10:05 by elandman.

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27 Mar 2014 16:06 #60055 by Mr T
Replied by Mr T on topic Snow Watch 2014
Cannot wait! Looking forward to it.
Doing Mafadi in June (long weekend) and hoping for some snow.
My guess is end of April. I see the predictions are for a very cold and wet winter this year.

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28 Mar 2014 15:54 #60080 by ASL-Bivak#
Replied by ASL-Bivak# on topic Snow Watch 2014
let's be optimistic and say 5 April then... B)

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02 Apr 2014 07:35 #60141 by JonWells
Replied by JonWells on topic Snow Watch 2014
Not quite time for us yet, but I see that Matroosberg in the Western Cape is expecting 7cm of snow this morning (2250m)
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04 Apr 2014 21:31 - 04 Apr 2014 23:49 #60209 by intrepid
Replied by intrepid on topic Snow Watch 2014
Thought I would add a note about an event in the Southern Berg which happened on January 3rd. It was a hot sunny day there, and the storm clouds moved in over the Berg during the course of the afternoon. In the late afternoon the clouds parted to reveal a distinctly white, and substantial covering on the high peaks such as Walker's Peak and the Mashai-Leqooa Ridge, which was very noticeable from Underberg. It also came quite far down Mzimude Pass, but not on any of the other slopes further North and South. I was as a braai in Underberg attended by a number of locals, and there was quite a lot of debate about whether it was snow or hail. I doubted it was snow at the time because it had been a particularly hot and sunny day (we had visited the Bushman's Neck area and we were sweaty), together with the fact that the temperature didn't dip, it was very localised, and occurred in a very short space of time. We were up on the Rhino the following day and encountered remnants of the hail on the slopes around Mashai Pass. It was also still visible in the Mzimude area and along Leqooa Ride in Lesotho. I mention this just to clarify that I still do not believe this was a snow event. It was a substantial hail storm.


Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.

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Last edit: 04 Apr 2014 23:49 by intrepid.
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05 Apr 2014 15:19 #60212 by stefangrab
Replied by stefangrab on topic Snow Watch 2014
Yes Intrepid...I would agree with your observations. Snow in summer is an extremely rare event and only associated with infrequent strong summer cold fronts (the 2000 event and another in the 1970s that I remember). Summer snow would not occur with summer tropical air mass, orographic or line-thunderstorms. On some occasions it is possible for the hail to fall as graupel (soft hail or snow pellets) on high summits, and last for a couple of days on the higher summits - but this is not snow as many mistakenly assume. On a few occasions I have seen the summer effects of such graupel on the high summits around Black Mnt Pass - viewing from Sani Top - often thinking ...wow that looks like snow. In the mornings when we arrive there to do our work we observe every time that it is either hail or soft hail (graupel).

However, having said this, it is not as uncommon for high summits such as along the Leqooa range, Mafadi-Njasuthi summits and Thabana Ntlenyana to receive light falls in some years during March and Nov/Dec - and largely go unnoticed as the snow melts by the time the first morning satellite image is available to us.
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