Snow Watch 2016

11 May, camping on the back of Cleft Peak. Bit late, I know.

An hour or so later, also 11 May on top of Cleft Peak, sometimes up to our ankles and a touch over. But within 24 hours 80% of it was gone:



If there was better signal up there it would have been easier to post online

Yes indeed, that entire week of 7 to 14th May was very unsettled over the berg (esp Lesotho). I was working first in the Sani Pass region and then Mafadi-Lithotobolong plateau over this period. Some of the snowfalls/grupple (ice rain) was very localized and thin (less than a cm) but because the storm tracks came from the west, there were also some mazing localized snow drifts well over half a meter in depth (see photos).
Light overnight snow 7 to 8 May above ca 3100m in the Sani region.
Heavy snow shower over the Kotisephola peaks regions during mid-morning of 10th May, but had melted by early afternoon.
Late afternoon grupple (ice rain) on 10 May over the entire Sani plateau and mountain areas.
Light overnight snowfall 10 to 11th May in the entire Sani region (and other parts of the berg)...was somewhat heavier above ca 3250m with considerable snowdrift development.
Light overnight (13 to 14 May) grupple and snowfalls over the Mafadi-Lithotobolong plateau, Popple Peak and Giants Castle ranges.

Some of these snowfalls were localized, some melted before they could be captured by the satellite images ...and so it raises interesting questions as to how many localized and lighter snowfalls go unrecorded?

Update: As at this morning (22 May), there are still some patches of snow around Mafadi. Lots of "photo snow" (frost) around in the mornings this weekend.

I didn't get any photos of the snow further inland, but here's an idea of what is left on the south slopes of Injisuthi Dome:

I always said that if there is snow on only 1 SA Berg peak, it would be Walkers. Good to know my old saying was right for a change

11 June
Looks like there is a dusting of snow at Cathedral Peak this morning