Tasmanian snow cover

[mikethepike]

I am interested in Tasmania’s winter snowfalls/snow depths over the last few decades and was recently surprised to learn that BOM doesn’t measure snowfall. A group of us did the Overland Track in mid August in 1970 with very good snow cover the whole way starting from Derwent Bridge. A couple of us went again same time in 1971 when the snow cover was very good but came late with heavy falls the week before we got there. An indicator of relative snow depth in those two years was that Kitchen Hut (it was single storied then) was buried in snow with just the roof capping protruding in 1970 and up to the top of the door in 1971. The walking was arduous in places where the track was not obvious and where, if you walked off it, you’d fall thigh to hip deep into unseen bushes. In both years hard snow on the upper slope of Cradle Cirque was deep enough for snow-caving (but I was amazed to see recently just how vegetated that slope is, leaving hardly anywhere to make a cave). I can’t remember seeing any photos of the Park being so well covered with snow as in the two years we were there. So my questions are:

- how often do such good winters occur and when was the last one?
- does the southern end of the OT still get snow deep enough that snow shoes are sensible if not just about imperative?
- does a good snowfall year on the mainland also mean a good snow year in Tasmania?
Somewhere at home, I have a printed chart showing the highly variable monthly pattern of snow depth over about 30 years at one of the NSW ski resorts, Perisher I think. Does such a thing exist for Tasmania, eg for Ben Lomond?.

I am planning to walk the Overland Track in mid August this year, a kind of anniversary walk, but probably only if there is a good snow cover because that is what makes the trip special. That’s what probably prompted this post in the first place apart from general interest and a bit of concern.
Thanks for your interest. Mike

[samh]

Hi Mike,
I can't help you with snowfall charts for the last 30 years. Anyway I think August - September are the best month for decent snow cover. Last winter was a very short season

[Beeper]

Mike, there are not official records of snow depth in Tas. Parks did have photo point monitoring of the two skifields - Mt Mawson and Ben Lomond for many years, although it does not occur now.

The Ben Lomond operators probably keep their own records.

Snow cover is very variable and unreliable even at different ends of the state. The west oftens gets the most snow and there can be alot of it.
In the west you are likely to get more reliable snow above 1200m.
Often snow will accumulate in a great rush, and then there will be hardly any follow up or there is rain.
Good snow years seem to be becoming more a rarity these days with increasing winter temps.
Last year was late but otherwise reasonable. 2004 was the last really good year.
The southern OT is low, elevation wise so any snow will not last a long time.
What happens on the mainland is independant from Tas, although we benefit from the same systems.
Most good snowfalls come from cold SW or W, there is little from other directions, unlike the mainland which can get good snow from a NW.

As for mid August on the OT, you could have anything from nothing to epic conditions, although there should be something, at the least the mountain tops should have snow cover or drifts. I would definetly pack snow shoes.

[corvus]

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=930&p=6784&hilit=waterfall+valley#p6805
This may help
corvus

[mikethepike]

Thanks for those responses - very helpful. In the end, I didn't get to Tassie this winter and it was apparently a very good year for snow. Another time.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Snowed on me at the Great Lake today.

[corvus]

Snowed on me at the Great Lake today.

And what ??
c

[ILUVSWTAS]

Snowed on me at the Great Lake today.

And what ??
c

Some people are interested in hearing about snowfalls Corvus.

[flatfoot]

I had a very light dusting of snow as I walked through Du Cane Gap on the 21st. "Blizzard" conditions were reported by others at Pelion Gap on the same day ... although that sounds like an exaggeration.

[taswegian]

snow smattering on Roland and Claude this morning and its snowing right now on Roland.
Expect a whiteout further back.
Rather spectacular clouds above Roland.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Yeh there was a decent layer on Collins Bonnet this morning.

[Drifting]

I just got back from some very wintry conditions on Cradle. Lots of snow and sleet, with a fair bit on the mountains.

[isoma]

Snowed for around an hour at Ironstone hut on Tuesday, which put an end to any thoughts of a jaunt up Mt Ironstone on the return leg.
Planned run up to Mt Jerusalem today was cancelled when I saw snow down to the 800-900 mark on Western Bluff. Went for a hike up Roland instead but as post above suggests it snowed there too - began around the 900 metre mark and was on and off to the summit and back.
Seems like the central plateau and walls is a no go for me for the next few days at least

[proskub]

Mt. Anne has a good snow cap last tuesday.

[Chief]

This is so good..
Summer in Australia and you tasmanians are talkin' about the snow..

[flyfisher]

Gotta be betta than parts of Queensland.