Snow Watch 2019

This is the official thread for Snow Watch 2018. Feel free to post pictures, information, questions and reports about the snow conditions in the Drakensberg for 2018. 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. This also serves as a historical reference for years to come.

Historical Snow Watch threads:
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018

1) 5 April - Light snow reported on the top of Black Mountains

2) 20-22 April - Snow confirmed at and around Afriski, Thabana Ntlenyana, and Mt Durnford

3) 8 May - Unexpected light snowfall in a number of locations across the escarpment

4) 28 May - Light snowfall at Tiffindell

5) 2 July - Light snow over central Lesotho, as well as the peaks of the Southern Berg, and along the Eastern Cape Drakensberg

6) 5 August - Light sprinkling of snow spotted on the high peaks at Didima

7) 6 September - Very light snow reported across much of the escarpment

8) 25 September - Light snow on the peaks of the Southern and Central Berg

9) 30 September - 1 October - Light snow on the peaks of the southern Berg and at Afriski

10) 14 November - Light snow reported at Afriski and and on peaks of the Southern Berg

For anyone interested in the snowfall stats from the info extracted from the previous 6 years of Snow Watch threads on VE, here they are :

Those are really great statistics, thanks Jon! Its nice that our historical records have reached the point where they can be analyzed in that way.

@stefangrab Do you think there is any possibility these might have been isolated heavy hailstorms?  

It didnt quite seem cold enough for snow, the Vulture's Retreat Station at 3050m didnt record any temperatures much below 8°C during the time the event would have occurred:

The ground certainly was white, and this was visible in the following day's satellite image, as mentioned by Stefan. I just dont know if hail can be ruled out, especially given the temperatures at the time.

Example of a heavy, localised hail storm over Colorado: