Snow Watch 2025

 

Cathedral Peak morning 9 June 2025

More low res imagery from Meteosat geostationary. This is for 9am SA time on 11 June 2025.
Lotsa snow.

Snow in pale blue this time. Beware yellow snow.

 



 

Better resolution from Meteosat:
1115 SA time 11 June 2025

 

I have placed JonWells' customary snazzy enhanced MODIS imagery of snow next to the numerical model analysis from the global ICON model. The time stamp on the model simulation is Tuesday 10 June 2025 at 4pm UTC. The MODIS image is from noon Wednesday 11 June 2025 (reasons for offset explained later).

Given that ICON is a global model and therefore not as high resolution as is possible with models dedicated to a regional domain such as southern Africa, the spatial similarity of snow extent between the observed (satellite) and model is remarkable. The model does go a little wrong by simulating no snow on the Cathedral Peak range south to just north of Champagne Castle. Other than that it is very good. A like for like comparison between noon snow on satellite on 11 June and noon simulated snow in the models shows that the models melt the snow faster than has happened in reality. This could be due to the model simulating a lower depth of snow than observed or, more likely, the complexity of simulating the radiation and energy exchanges in the lowest layers of the model.

All in all the numerical model forecast is amazingly good.


 

MODIS image from 13 June 2025.

Still an extraordinary amount of snow on the mountains.


 

Photos of cathedral snow line as of this morning June 14

 

Lots of snow in the Injasuthi area over the weekend. Was there Sat - Tue (17 June) and it was sooooo pretty.
Tried Corner pass, couldn't get up on Sunday, it was properly full of snow. Came down, went around the Corner pass, got to 50m form the top where a snow field stopped us. 10m away was a rather serious drop-off - one slip here and you went for a quick one way flying lesson.
Dissapointing not to get to the top (so close yet so far) but was still awesome to be in the berg and see all that snow. Will send pics later when I have time.

Dont recall at what point this was in Corner Pass, but by the time we got to the top we were litterally having to crawl and swim to try and get out of the pass.  UNderstand the difficulty on this one, it gets choked with snow.