A
snow fence is a structure similar to a
Sand fenceA sand fence is a structure similar to a Snow fence used to force drifting of sand to occur in a desired place. Sand fences are employed in desert and erosion control and for example to minimize the amount of sand drift on roadways.....
used to force drifting of
snowSnow is a type of precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by external pressure. Snowflakes...
to occur in a predictable place, rather than randomly or not at all. Snow fences are primarily employed to minimize the amount of
snowdriftA snowdrift is a deposit of snow created by wind into a mound during snowstorms. They resemble sand dunes and are formed in a similar manner, namely, by wind moving light snow and depositing it when the wind is slowed, usually against a stationary object. Snow normally crests and slopes off toward...
on roadways or railways. In rural areas, farmers and ranchers may use temporary snow fences to create large drifts in basins for a ready supply of water in the spring. In the ski industry snow fences may also be used to catch snow in order to increase coverage in specified areas which some may consider
snow farmingSnow farming is the use of obstacles, equipment and knowledge about management of snow in order to strategically manipulate snow coverage. Often this is done for the purpose of skiing or even preventing snow drift in certain areas like roads...
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A
snow fence is a structure similar to a
Sand fenceA sand fence is a structure similar to a Snow fence used to force drifting of sand to occur in a desired place. Sand fences are employed in desert and erosion control and for example to minimize the amount of sand drift on roadways.....
used to force drifting of
snowSnow is a type of precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by external pressure. Snowflakes...
to occur in a predictable place, rather than randomly or not at all. Snow fences are primarily employed to minimize the amount of
snowdriftA snowdrift is a deposit of snow created by wind into a mound during snowstorms. They resemble sand dunes and are formed in a similar manner, namely, by wind moving light snow and depositing it when the wind is slowed, usually against a stationary object. Snow normally crests and slopes off toward...
on roadways or railways. In rural areas, farmers and ranchers may use temporary snow fences to create large drifts in basins for a ready supply of water in the spring. In the ski industry snow fences may also be used to catch snow in order to increase coverage in specified areas which some may consider
snow farmingSnow farming is the use of obstacles, equipment and knowledge about management of snow in order to strategically manipulate snow coverage. Often this is done for the purpose of skiing or even preventing snow drift in certain areas like roads...
. Snow fences are also used in
avalanche controlAvalanche control or avalanche defense activities aim at the elimination and reduction of hazard and damage resulting from avalanches.There are two major groups of techniques for avalanche defense: active techniques and passive techniques, sometimes more narrowly defined as "explosive" and...
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A typical style of temporary snow fence seen in North America today is often one of two varieties: perforated orange plastic sheet attached to stakes at regular intervals (the type usually utilized for
construction siteConstruction Site is a television series created by the Jim Henson Company in 2002, and consists of 7 construction vehicles. The show was broadcast on ABC Kids for a while, and had a range of videos. Episodes are packaged as 52 x 10’ or 13 x 26’...
fencing or temporary sports field fencing) or a cedar or other lightweight woodstrip and wire fence, also attached to metal stakes. A permanent snow fence is generally of larger wooden poles set deeply into the ground with large wooden planks running vertically across them. A permanent snow fence is built when a roadway or railway is subject to predictable snow and wind patterns each winter, usually in mountain passes.
The drifting and accumulation of snow behind and in front of such a fence follows the laws of physics as the wind speed on the downwind side and near upwind side is less than that on the far windward side, causing ing light materials such as snow or leaves to settle.
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