Llansadwrn (Anglesey) Weather: Snowdonia Snowline Report

Snowdonia Mountains Winter 2007 - 08

 Monthly reports
 Snowline histogram

October

Snow was reported falling in Austria on the 20th and Germany on the 21st. Snow fell on the Alpes Maritime on the 27th and there was a transient sprinkling of snow on Cairngorm on the 29th.

November

Snow fell on the Pyrenees, Alps, and Puy de Dome France on the 2nd. The weather turned a little colder in the N of Britain by the middle of week beginning 5th and there was a little snow on Cairngorm and briefly in Aviemore on the 7th, some patches remained on Cairngorm on the 10th. To the 13th, although there might have been some wintry showers around the summits, no snow has been seen on the ground in Snowdonia despite careful watching. On the 16th there was a little frost around some summits Snow fell overnight on 17/18th leaving a sprinkling enough for the first lying snow on the morning of the 18th. Lowest I could see was on northern aspect of Carnedd Llewelyn, but some also around Foel-fras and Yr Wyddfa (partially obscured). Some more snow fell on the summits, but by the 20th cover was broken with patches as low as 2250 ft.

December

Early morning snow showers left a sprinkling of snow across most summits over 2900 ft on the morning of the 1st. There was snow on the 8th and 9th with patches remaining around the summits on the 10th and 11th. Snow patches and ice remained on north-facing slopes and in gullies through the cold spell, without further precipitation. Some ice deposits were seen on the 23rd and there was a sprinkling of snow on the 26th and hail and/or snow on the 29th as low as 2000 ft with snow showers during the day.

January

The month began with a little snow remaining in a gully patch below the summit of Carnedd Llewelyn. On the morning of the 4th there was a sprinkling of snow/ ice deposits on C. Llewelyn and Foel-grach (more western summits obscured in cloud). Further sprinklings of snow kept snow on the summits and northern slopes above 2900 ft, occasionally a little lower as showers occurred to the 7th. On the 8th there were slight fresh falls centrally and eastward down to 2500 ft in places. Further snow overnight 8/9th brought a sprinkling as low as 2000 ft near the Black Ladders and as low as 1200 ft in the Nant Ffrancon and Llanberis Passes early on the 9th. There were small amounts of snow on eastern slopes of western mountains including Moel Eilio at about 2000 ft. During the evening an Atlantic low-pressure system brought rising temperatures and very heavy rain across Snowdonia. By morning only patchy remnants remained on N-facing summits. A sprinkling of fresh snow on central and western summits on the 11th and this lasted over until the 12th with remnants until the 14th. There was a little fresh snow again on the summits on the morning of the 15th, but again of small amount. On the 16th with most of the summits obscured no snow was seen between C. Dafydd and Penyrole-wen. Later in the day a sprinkling fresh snow was spotted at 1500 ft under cloudbase on Glyder-Fach. Subsequent rising temperatures with rain have continued the very disappointing season so far. This is in contrast to N England, and Scotland in particular, where at Cairngorm and Glenshee snow conditions for skiing being reported as 'the best for years'. North Wales, this winter, has seen the warm wet weather of southern Britain influenced by the southern position of the jetstream bringing Atlantic-depressions. Colder weather, just a little to the north of here, has given significant snowfalls in Scotland that does anyway have the advantage of a greater altitude range. On the 21st there were moderate to heavy snowfalls in S Scotland and N England, but again Snowdonia missed out. During the evening as the depression moved E across Britain colder air was brought down from the N and there was a little snow above 1000 ft. On the morning of the 22nd there was a thin covering as low as 2500 ft and little more on the summits, but it did not linger. Early on the 24th there was some hail seen on some eastern Carneddau summits; snow was absent. On the 31st precipitation around 09 GMT this leaving a light covering of snow around the summits, especially Crib-y-ddysgyl on the NW-facing slope that happened to be clear of cloud. Later in afternoon snow showers moved in off the Irish Sea bringing snow to low levels for a time.

On the 1st there was a light covering of snow from 1800 ft on the Carneddau and a sprinkling as low as 1200 ft in some places. On the 3rd there was remnant snow and limited cover in places over 2900 ft. Some fresh falls from showers were seen as low as 2200 ft in the area of the Black Ladders. On the 4th there was slight snow above 2500 ft and there was less, mostly broken remnants, on the 5th. Overnight on the 5/6th there was a little fresh snowfall around the summits, but it soon became broken again with small snow patches persisting mainly on north-facing cliffs. On the morning of the 25th a snow shower had left a sprinkling of snow around the summit of C. Llewelyn.

The month began with a few very small snow patches present on north-facing cliffs. On the morning of the 3rd there was a dusting of snow around summits above 2500 ft. There were more showers in the afternoon, but amounts deposited were very small. Overnight 3/4th light snow giving cover at 1000 ft and as low as 500 ft by morning. On the 5th there was light snow cover above 2000 ft and patches from 1000 ft, but snowmelt continued through the day. By the 6th remaining snow was very patchy and with temperatures on the rise disappearing rapidly. Overnight 6/7th a cold front brought fresh snow that was lying as low as 2000 ft in places in the morning. There was a little more snow on the morning of the 9th and overnight 9/10th with cover about 2000 ft and falling during the morning at 1000 ft. On the 11th there was snow cover above 2300 ft and it was snowing at 1200 ft. Amounts of precipitation were small and on the 12th there was about 70% cover at 2500 ft, but in the strong winds decreased markedly through the day. On the 13th there were remnant snow patches as low as 2500 ft lasting until there was fresh snow seen at 3000 ft on the 16th and 17th a little lower at 2800 ft. On the 18th there were only patches on Snowdon while parts of the Carneddau had cover on some N-facing cliffs and patches on the summits and as low as 2500 ft. On the 21st there was fresh slight snow lying as low as 2000 ft in places. Further slight falls on the 22nd finely dusted the slopes of the Carneddau above 2800 ft. Light to moderate snow fell above 1200 ft overnight 22/23rd and was falling as low as 600 ft at 09 GMT Snow lay throughout the day at 1200 ft, but soon melted at lower levels. On the 24th there was fresh wet snow as low as 800 ft and was lying from 1000 ft. In the afternoon the mountains were seen in sunshine with the snowline about 1200 ft . On the 25th the snowline started at 1200 ft on north-facing slopes, although there were a few snow showers during the morning by afternoon it was 1500 ft and fragmenting with rising temperatures. The 26th saw the inevitable retreat of the snowline during the day, a little snow fell and there was cover at 2550 ft in mostly north-facing slopes and good snow-caps on C. Llewelyn and C. Dafydd seen in early evening sunshine. Snow persisted on the 27th, but by the 28th was disappearing quickly leaving frequent patches. During the afternoon there was a little fresh snow, this just enough for thin cover in some places on north-facing slopes on the morning of the 29th. Snow persisted, with cover on C. Llewelyn and frequent large patches, until the end of the month.

Snow and ice patches were present on the 1st mostly above 2800 ft on shaded cliff areas of Carnedd Llewelyn and C. Dafydd with few remaining patches around the summits. There were a few patches remaining on the 4th. On the 5th there was a dusting of snow at 2800 ft on north-facing cliffs and around highest summits. Further hail and snow overnight 5/6th left a slight cover of snow generally at 1500 ft and in places as low as 1000 ft. Another shower around 09 GMT left snow cover for a while at 400 ft and there were frequent showers of hail and snow through the day. On the 7th there was cover at 1500 ft and 1200 ft on some north-facing slopes and as low as 1000 ft at Ogwen. There was some thawing during the day at lower levels, but there was fresh snow overnight 7/8th which lay above 1500 ft with some still as low as 1000 ft on the morning of the 8th. On the 9th there was cover above 1800 ft on the slopes of the Carneddau and from 1300 ft in Cwn Idwal. There was fresh snowfall around 2500 ft over night, but with rising temperatures snow was wet and thawing at lower levels. A little fresh snow on the tops, and snow showers, on the 10th under towering cumulus with patches persisting as low as 1300 ft in places. There was snow falling at 1000 ft on the 11th, but soon melting at this level. There was partial cover above 1800 ft on N and W facing slopes and at 2500 ft cover was good with temperatures -1C. By the 11th although there was fresh snow around the summits and cover at 1800 ft on the Carneddau slopes but mostly 2500 ft elsewhere, and there was snow as low as 1500 ft near Cwm Idwal. Further wet snow overnight 10/11th particularly on NE-facing slopes of the Carneddau as low as 1000 ft with sprinklings at 800 ft at 09 GMT. This soon melted and on the 14th the snow was mainly at 1800 ft and 1500 ft in places, there was less around Snowdon and none left on Moel Eilio. On the 15th there was good cover on the top between Foel Fras and C. Llewelyn and NE-facing slopes of Crib-y-ddysgyl, Elidir Fawr and the Carneddau although by the 16th cover at 2000 ft was looking patchier. On the 17th snow persisted, with the temperature at 2500 ft -2C at 09 GMT, with little change until the 19th when patchier snow was lying above 2300 ft. On the 21st the level was 2700 ft and by the 23rd much had melted with remnant patches as low as 2600 ft. Snow patches persisted until the end of the month, particularly on the NE flank of Carnedd Llewelyn. Overnight on the 29/30th there was fresh snow with light, but transient, cover on the summits on the morning of the 30th .

A little snow was seen on the summit of C. Llewelyn on the morning of the 1st and there were several patches left on the 2nd. These gradually diminished and the last one visible from Llansadwrn was on the 7th.

You can view the snowline histograms for previous years here:

 Winter 2006-2007
 Winter 2005-2006
 Winter 2004-2005


 

You can view complete snowline reports for previous years here:

 Winter 2006-2007
 Winter 2005-2006
 Winter 2004-2005


 

 Report of the current season

Notes

Observations were made as near to 0900 GMT as possible. I have a good view from Llansadwrn, weather permitting, across the Menai Strait towards the Snowdonia Mountains. I can see the northern slopes of the mountain range from Moel Eilio (west of Snowdon), Snowdon summits (Yr Wyddfa and Crib Goch), the Carneddau and to Foel-fras and Drum on the eastern end near the Conwy Valley. With the aid of binoculars I make records that include the lowest altitude of snow lying (>50% cover) and any patchy cover (<50%).

These pages are designed and written by Donald Perkins, Copyright © 1998 - 2008. All Rights Reserved. Document was first dated 1 October 2007 and updated during the season http://www.llansadwrn-wx.co.uk




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