882 



found, whilc outstanding boulders, rocky ledges (»HanireO etc. are never, 

 striclly speaking, buried in snow. A real snow-field suitable for snow- 

 skating is thus a rare occurrence. 



In the early part of February, when we had the largest fall of 

 snow, nuich more snow than usual, w^e were told, I was obliged to 

 walk on several occasions from Thorshavn to Velbestad on the west- 

 side of Stromo. The snow was distributed as follows: A number of 

 large and deep snow-drifts occurred on the gradualh' ascending slopes 

 from Thorshavn to the summit-plateaux (c. 200 M.); alternating with 

 these were areas entirely free from snow, and other stretches covered 

 with a smooth uniform coating of snow from 30 to 60 ctm. deep; the 

 plateau itself w^as covered by a layer of snow with a depth from 15 

 to 30 ctm., so that the larger stones and boulders were not covered. 

 The steeper slope from the plateau downwards to Velbestad was prac- 

 tically without a single snowless spot, even the »Hamre« (rock-ledges) 

 being buried. The snow everywhere reached almost to my waist, and 

 had gathered in many piaces into enormous snow-drifts. 



From what I saw myself at this and other piaces, and from what 

 I have been told, I believe that this example will convey a tolerabl}^ 

 good idea of the conditions at this period. 



The snow disappears very rapidly as a rule, as shown by the notes. 

 Indeed, it is often surprising how a heavy rain may cause, in the course 

 of a couple of hours, the rapid disappearance of a comparatively large 

 amount of snow, and this quite as much on the mountains as in the 

 lowlands. I find, after ever3'thing is taken into consideration, that there 

 is much less difference between the snow on the mountains and in the 

 lowlands than I had expected.« 



The Winter 1902-03. 



November 15th: a thin layer of snow on the summits of the 

 northern Islands. December 25th : snow, 2—3 ctm., forming a uni- 

 form covering in the lowlands and on the mountains. 26th: heavy and 

 general fall of snow. 27th: heavy rain, the snow^ melts. 28th: the snow 

 entirely gonc in the lowlands, but still isolated wreaths and patches on 

 the mountains. 30th and 31st: heavy fall of snow, forming everywhere 

 a uniform coat, 2—8 ctm. January Ist 1903: rain. 2nd: snow gone 

 in the lowlands. 4th: black-frost. 5th and 6th: general fall of snow. 

 7th: drifting snow. 8th: rain, the snow melts. 9th: black-frost. lOth: 

 snow-storm. Uth: black-frost. 12th: snow, 15—60 ctm., lying on the 

 mountain-plateaux, the larger stones and boulders exposed; much snow 

 with snow-wreaths, 1 — 1.25 metres deep, lying on the western side of 

 Stromo (the mountain slope towards Hesto-fjord); only a little snow on 

 the eastern side of Stromo and on Sando. 13th and 14th: thaw and 

 rain. 15th: snow gone. 18th: a little snow yesterday and during the 

 night, now thaw and snow gone. February Ist: snow. 2nd: snow, 

 2—2.5 ctm., everywhere in the lowlands and on the mountains. 3rd: 

 rain. 8th : heavy fall of snow, almost 15 ctm., Iowdands and mountains 

 uniformly covered. lOth: the snow completely gone in the lowlands 

 and partially so on the mountains. 20th: hardly any change, snow in 

 patches on the mountains. 22nd: slight fall of snow, chiefly on the 



