Is it ever too cold to blow snow?

[random_ski_guy]

Is that even a possible position to be in on space station earth? say -30 degrees F?

[BushMogulMaster]

Is that even a possible position to be in on space station earth? say -30 degrees F?

It's never too cold to physically blow snow, but it definitely gets too cold for snowmakers to be out in it, and the equipment CAN freeze up. Lines will freeze and nozzles will freeze and clog. When that happens you need snowmakers to be able to fix it. If it's -30, I don't think you could put any snowmakers out in that.

So, yes... you can blow snow at -30. But no, it would never work.

[random_ski_guy]

thats what i thought. seems like ski areas don't make the effort when the temps hit -15. frost bite and equipment failures too much a risk. what do you think the cut off is?

[BushMogulMaster]

thats what i thought. seems like ski areas don't make the effort when the temps hit -15. frost bite and equipment failures too much a risk. what do you think the cut off is?

I would say -10 +/- depending on wind and other weather variables. Anything below that, you spend so much time and effort keeping equipment working and employees alive that it's not worth it.

Good thing about temps around +5 and below is that you don't need any air. You can just use water, and LOTS of it. Lots of water + COLD + no air = LOTS OF SNOW!

[DaveW]

The area I worked for in MN routinely made snow in temps down to and below -30. The year before we moved to toasty VT we hit a 3 day stretch where the high was -10.(Over that same period a place in northern MN hit -63, I don't know what the wind chill was.) A lot of snow was blown because the guns were already going when the temps dropped. The thing was, once it got that cold that system couldn't be shut down without freezing pipes, it just couldn't be drained fast enough. On the other hand once it gets below 0 they start blowing powder.

[BushMogulMaster]

The area I worked for in MN routinely made snow in temps down to and below -30. The year before we moved to toasty VT we hit a 3 day stretch where the high was -10.(Over that same period a place in northern MN hit -63, I don't know what the wind chill was.) A lot of snow was blown because the guns were already going when the temps dropped. The thing was, once it got that cold that system couldn't be shut down without freezing pipes, it just couldn't be drained fast enough. On the other hand once it gets below 0 they start blowing powder.

This is true. But nozzles can freeze and clog even at temps above 0, and I simply can't imagine making a snowmaker work at temps so far below zero. But then again, that's just me!

[freeheel_skier]

On the other hand once it gets below 0 they start blowing powder.

Now that is cool!

[tymoguls]

It looks like we'll get a better handle on the answer to this question later this week. NWS is forecasting 3000ft lows of -10F for Wednesday, -20F for Thursday, and -18F for Friday.

The good news is that Saturday is forecast to have a high of 12F and Sunday a high of 14F.