Big Snowfalls Of 47,63 And 79 For Example

[snowlover2009]

Something I would like to ask because I am so eager to know lol, hope it is in the right spot.

In 1979, 47 and 63 blizzards for example, would the snow have been deeper and driftier than that usually on the east coast of usa at times. I remember reading that in 1963 that drifts were recorded of up to 20 ft and i havent even heard of anything like that on the east coast for example? Also how long did these big snow storms last for in the uk and would the snow stay persisitent for hours on end and never stop. also, how on earth did the drifts manage to reach those substnatial heights. Finally is there anywhere where i can find out the snow depths in some of those winters and what were temps like udring those winters most of the time?

thanks.

[Tucco]

Something I would like to ask because I am so eager to know lol, hope it is in the right spot.

In 1979, 47 and 63 blizzards for example, would the snow have been deeper and driftier than that usually on the east coast of usa at times. I remember reading that in 1963 that drifts were recorded of up to 20 ft and i havent even heard of anything like that on the east coast for example? Also how long did these big snow storms last for in the uk and would the snow stay persisitent for hours on end and never stop. also, how on earth did the drifts manage to reach those substnatial heights. Finally is there anywhere where i can find out the snow depths in some of those winters and what were temps like udring those winters most of the time?

thanks.

A good start is this site.

http://www.winter1947.co.uk/

It has depths etc for various site across the UK plus links to 1963 info.

Record snow depth in UK in a inhabitabed location was at Forest in Teesdale in March 1947 at 211cm.

Mark

Teesdale

[snowingtequila]

I have often seen drifts up to the top windows of houses throughout the peak district, 20 foot is easily attainable, although I haven't seen it for a few years.

[Rollo]

Back in 1979 I saw a drift near our housr reach the sacond floor window of a 2 up 2 down,it faced North with no houses facing it.

[Ben_Cambs]

Wow it even was cold enough for it to snow on Valentia Island on the tip of South Western Ireland, where the average winter temps are about 8C!

Edited December 22, 2009 by Snowman0697

[Tom Lynch]

I like severe weather and in a way I kinda like snow. However I do not like having to dig my car out each day to get to work or not know if I am going to back get home again.

Tom

[Terminal Moraine]

Although it's quite possible to get 20' drifts against houses etc, as I saw in 1979, quite often the deepest drifts at the road sides occur when repeated drifting means the snow is dug out and piled at the road side only to be drifted over again by further blizzards.

I've seen roads where the initial drifts were 5-6' deep but which ended up with walls of snow 12' deep on either side after being dug out once and then drifted over again on top of the 'diggings out'.

In 1947, although I wasn't around to see it, I have it on reliable authority that in this area the cutting gangs had 3 levels cut into the snow when digging out roads. The men on the bottom would throw it 5 or 6 ft up to those on the next level and so on until it was eventually thrown over the top of the drift.

My mother has photo's of her brothers standing on the snow near their farm with the top of a telegraph pole at knee height behind them. I've also seen photo's of dead rabbits hanging in telephone wires 20-25ft above the ground after the snow had thawed.

At the top end of our village where houses line the road at both sides the snow was piled into people's gardens up to the level of the bedroom windows and tunnels were cut through it from the front doors to the road.

If only my parents had met a few years earlier!

[paul tall]

You always make me laugh with your extreme cold/snow fetish TM.

[peterf]

when i was a lad our snow was normally a filthy red colour.the steelworks seen to that lol.

[Rollo]

I noticed yesterday on the model thread posters talking about the 47' winter,as a child under 10 at the time I have fond memories of that period but comparisons to this winter are in my opinion somewhat premature. 47' did not start until about January 18th (prior to that other than a couple attempts at a failed easterly) the winter had been nondescript,all that was about to change and the cold lasted until early March. My memories living about 3 miles from the coast in Sunderland was of occasional blizzards and very deep snow but there were times when it was just dry and very cold,my main point which I hopw TWS may address is (and memories play tricks) that it nearly always snowed rather than sleety cold rain despite my proximity to the coast. It would be too much to hope for this winter cold to last until March,indeed the majority of us would be sick of it by then but the weather will do what the weather will do. I for one will enjoy the duration.

[snowingtequila]

My memory of 1963 is one of lots of sunshine and clear days. Also I have never seen so much snow on the cheshire plain though, there was 3 foot of level snow covering the fences so you couldn't see where the road eneded and fields started. I think this was achieved with 2 or three big falls that never thawed. The slight thaw in the middle of January 1963 had the effect of melting the top layer and it then froze so you could walk on top of the snow without sinking in.