Canberra, Australia vs. Brest, France

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by Superluminal

Brest's record snowfall was 32cm (just over a foot) in 1983 - nothing spectacular. The north coast of Brittany probably gets more snow.

Interesting...dunno the stats but I'm guessing Canberra has recorded at least a foot before.

While snow may not be that common in the NSW Central Tablelands, during exceptional circumstances snowfall can be very heavy. In 1965, during a cold outbreak, snow depths of up to a metre were recorded in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. That is pretty incredible for anywhere in Australia outside the High Country.

I once read that temperatures in Australia's ski-fields are borderline for snow, but they manage by a combination of very high cool season precipitation (orographic snow), and the use of snow making machines. Temperatures in the ski resorts of NSW and Victoria are actually similar to those of New York City, believe it or not. Some years the ski-fields can be snowless for most of the season!

[Patricius Maximus]

High amounts of snowfall help a lot with the warmer ski areas. Lake Tahoe wouldn't be much in an average season if it didn't get all that snowfall to replenish what melts in the daytime. Of course Tahoe is a whole lot less marginal than somewhere like Australia or New Jersey, but similar processes are involved.

Those spots in Australia you mentioned seem to have snow patterns like the American Gulf Coast, where snowfall is uncommon or rare, but when it does snow it does in significant amounts. Beaumont, Texas once got 30 inches in a blizzard in the 1890's, even though snow is rare there. More recently, the December 2008 snowstorm produced significant amounts for a portion of that region. I believe this is due to the high amount of moisture that is always present there.

[burloak]

Canberra

Very nice climate, could be my fave for Australia, all it`s missing
is the ocean. Chilly average low in July (by Australia standards)
I guess it`s still warm enough to grow palm trees

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by Patricius Maximus

High amounts of snowfall help a lot with the warmer ski areas. Lake Tahoe wouldn't be much in an average season if it didn't get all that snowfall to replenish what melts in the daytime. Of course Tahoe is a whole lot less marginal than somewhere like Australia or New Jersey, but similar processes are involved.

Those spots in Australia you mentioned seem to have snow patterns like the American Gulf Coast, where snowfall is uncommon or rare, but when it does snow it does in significant amounts. Beaumont, Texas once got 30 inches in a blizzard in the 1890's, even though snow is rare there. More recently, the December 2008 snowstorm produced significant amounts for a portion of that region. I believe this is due to the high amount of moisture that is always present there.

Check out the West coast of Japan. Hard to believe the reported totals given the very borderline temperatures. But then again winter precipitation is extremely heavy.