We really need one. I have read tutorials on prevailing winds and I can't wrap my head around where to place it in the picture below, what do you suggest?
Where I'd like the drift to be is on the far left of this pic, open BLM land that is never used except on quad trails in the summer.
I don't have a bunch of experience with snow fences. The few I put up, I just put them 50 or so feet from the driveway on the side the wind typically comes from and it worked well. You may get some good info/advise here: plowsite.com. It's for pro snow removal people and such. Be warned though. Many of the people there are the exact opposite of the folks here. A bunch of @$$#@!%^ with a chip on their shoulder for some reason. Newbies will sometimes take a verbal beating for reasons I've never understood. You may have some luck contacting a snow fence manufacturer. It's possible they will be able to help with placement.
On the far side of your picket fence in the first post/picture, how far does your property go? If you put a snow fence about 100 feet past the picket fence towards the hills in the back, I think you may catch a decent amount of snow before your buildings get buried.
I've done some snow control when I was living in the mountains. It's hard to tell from you pics where the prevailing winds come from, but the drifts will form on the lee side of the snow fence. So, you want to place the fence upwind of where you want the drift. In the first pic, it looks like the wind comes from slightly viewer's right and head on. I'd put the fence another 50'-100' up wind of where the existing fence is, and hopefully the drift would form out of the yard there. edit: Cross post with Bret...looks like we agree.
As Bret & NW said, get the fence on the prevailing wind side of things, and as far out away from buildings as possible... so it doesn't become a ramp for snow to get up and over the roofs. May not be possible. Snow fences are meant to trip the wind driven snows and deposit a lot of it at the fence line... the way your winds blow out there I'd guess the higher and stronger the better. Obviously, that's next summer's project unless you've got really strong posts already set.
Snow fence works by slowing down the wind and when it slows down, the snow being carried by the wind falls out. Similar to deposits in a river behind a boulder. Thing is what is happening around buildings. The wind is slowed down and the snow is dropping out. Like others have said. You will need to place the fence upwind of your spread and in some severe areas, 2 parallel fences 50-100' apart might be needed. A drift will form directly downwind of the fence. There is no snow in the left of the picture above because there is nothing to slow the wind down. If you want snow there, put up a snow fence but that will not help your yard. To help that you'll need the fence upwind of your out buildings. It may be tough to drive fence posts in this time of year. We usually put in posts in the fall (after crops if in a farmers field) and then don't put up the fence till winter. A row of cedars/ small spruce will work similarly. They will just need to be far enough back from the buildings to allow space for the drift to form.
Husband thinks 80' -100'. The picket fence is down there too, will just leave it up. On the flip side, he takes the lil one sledding on the drifts back there
It IS hard to tell the prevailing winds but this is the second winter here and the drifts are in the same place. They also collect alot of dust in the spring as you can see by the dirt built up at the fenceline and the weed seeds that sprout only where the drifts were. I do believe most the winds come from the right like you observed. Unfortunately upwind is not our property, and loaded with vehicles the neighbors own.
Behind the buildings is the neighbors property and is filled with vehicles.... I think we may need to move the dogs fenced yard to the front of the house, thanks your explanation is great It will be a PIA for me and the UPS guy, but atleast the dogs wont be stuck in 10 x 20 pen several months per year. Last year was December through May for the same drift... We do not have water here and its a very dry climate despite last years record wet summer, so no live snow fences On the same note, my husband backs up where the mud tracks are in this pic to fill our cistern with hauled water, he fears new snow fences may prevent access to the cistern pipe too. Thanks !
This is the front yard the same day as the sunny picture of snow drifts on the sheds. Hubby plowed the drift at the entrance and infront of his garage door, but notice all the dirt in the center. The new dog yard will go from the wood processing area towards the camper (now sold but not picked up lol).
Built new home. Finding where all the snow goes this year. Lots of fences this fall will be built. Lookin into wood stack / snow fence.
My first winter here last year was a record bad one, I wanted to watch this winter to observe. Milder winter so far this year, but several months later than last year the same drifts arrived. Interesting.
Sometimes you have to wait for it to arrive from my place. Prevailing north/west winds here. Sometimes south/west
Kinda hard to tell the lay of the land from your pics. Maybe a better view would be in order? https://www.google.com/maps/@41.3066675,-105.6126565,11012m/data=!3m1!1e3
