883 



mountains. 23rd: uniform layer of snow on the mountains, about 5 

 ctni.; no snow in the lowlands. 24th: the snow on the mountains partly 

 gone. 26th: a thin layer of snow still lying on the higher mountains. 

 March 6th: patches of snow here and there only. lOth: almost en- 

 tirely gone. April 5th: snow. 7th : snow gone again. lOth: fall of 

 snow. 12th: fall of snow with some wind. The layer of snow about 

 5 ctm. deep, except in occasional deeper drifts. 14lh: fall of snow, 

 lying about 15 ctm. deep. 15th: slight fall of snow. 17th and 18th: 

 the snow evaporating rapidly. 19th: rain. 20th: lowlands and moun- 

 tains almost snowless; scattered wreaths on the tops of the mountains. 

 21st: slight fall of snow in the evening. 22nd: fall of snow, with thaw. 

 23rd: snow gone in the lowlands, scattered spots and wreaths on the 

 mountains. 26th: almost all the snow gone. May 8th and 9lh: fall of 

 snow; the mountains snow-covered, but not south of Thorshavn, the 

 lowlands snowless. 



Dr. Poulsen further states: »These observations as a rule hold 

 good only for the southern part of Stromo, with Nolso, Hesto and 

 Sando. These istands present somewhat similar conditions as regards 

 snow-covering. Nolso, however, always loses its snow first of all, and 

 it is under snow to a less extent than the others, particularly Stromo; 

 this is probably due to its situation and form. The same is true to 

 some extent with regard to Hesto. Much more snow falls on the nor- 

 thern part of Stromo and on the northern istands, and the mountains 

 there have been more or less snow-covered through the enlire winter; 

 this has certainly been the case on the higher mountains. This is due 

 probably to the much greater altitude of the mountains, though the 

 dilference in latitude and situation must also be of some importance. 

 So far as my information goes, snow and the snow-covering on Sydero 

 have been rather less than in Thorshavn district, although part of that 

 istand has a high elevation. 



On the whole, less snow has fallen during this winter than in the 

 one before, there being very little previous to Christmastide.« 



These notes on the two winters present an original and in 

 all essentials a perfect picture of the snowfall and the snow-covering 

 on the Færoes. The prominent feature is the frequent and rapid 

 changes between snow, thaw and black-frost. 



The speedy disappearance of snow and frost is due doubtless 

 to the proximity of a relatively warm ocean; the mean temperature 

 of the ocean at Thorshavn from January to March being 5^ 5 C. 



The snow is never allowed to stay Ion g, and a con- 

 stant snow covering throughout the entire winter never occurs. 

 Hence on the Færoes the snow-covering plays quite a 

 subordinate part in protecting the vegetation against 

 the CO Id of winter; on the other band the coId itself is not 

 severe enough to be of prime importance. The snow probably 

 exer t s its greatest influence as a form of precipitation, 



Botanv of the Færoes. a;7 



