When the snow falls, Rob listens
Rob Ansell and his wife Serena started Snow Report SA in the hopes of connecting South Africa through their website.
IT is difficult to deny the sense of wonder and magic that comes along with the copious amounts of uniquely shaped snowflakes that blanket large sections of South Africa throughout the year.
Hillcrest’s own Rob Ansell has taken his family’s favourite pastime and turned it into a full-time passion that links thousands of people across the country and the world.
The father of two’s venture began almost by accident.
Both he and his wife, Serena, arrived back from the UK in 2001.
While back on South African soil, they did a bit of snow chasing but found it frustratingly difficult to find any information on where it was snowing.
They opted to contact a few hotels in snow zones in early 2009, asking to be contacted when snow fell.
Two days later, Rob received a welcome phone call informing them of snow.
Snow Report SA was born shortly thereafter as a website.
Snow Report update from our resident 'snow man' Rob Ansell https://t.co/i92gdSODBL
— Snow Report SA (@SnowReportSA) November 15, 2017
Facebook was still in its infancy and, as people have migrated to the platform over the years, so too did Snow Report – and to much fanfare.
Both Rob and Serena recently ventured on a national tour to install 10 cameras in key snow positions across the country and have also tapped into other live feeds. This can all be watched and monitored in real time via the website.
“We finally realised we weren’t the only snow lovers. It is such a rare and unique thing in Africa. It is such a beautiful, happy platform for people to share their photos,” said Rob.
A single image on the page can reach up to 600 000 to 700 000 people.
“It is just really fun and exciting and families get to be proud of their images. It is also really great for safety,” said Serena.
If you are planning to do a bit of snow chasing yourself, the best times to catch the snow in the Western Cape is from May to July while in KZN snowfall is generally expected around September.
“It can snow any month of the year here though,” said Rob, noting that there was snowfall in the province in early November.
ALSO READ:Â Grant conquers Amashova with his toe
The family has their emergency snow pack ready and waiting in their garage, filled with essential items, the top three of which include snow chains for tyres, extra warm gear and food.
“You just never know what could happen so it’s best to always be prepared for the worst. You could end up spending a few hours or possibly even a night stuck in the snow,” said Serena.
The couple said Snow Report SA has also played an important role in people’s safety and is often the port of call when someone is in distress. They then put those in need in contact with the relevant safety services.
Rob the Snowman, as he is affectionately known, hits the road at crazy hours, continuously monitoring the cameras, which are sometimes frozen and can, at times, be seen climbing up poles to receive signal to transfer the feed. “Some people wait all year because their children haven’t seen the snow. I love winter and since I met Rob he has always been snow crazy,” said his loving wife.
The couple’s most memorable snow experience was in Aviemore, Scotland. It was one of the coldest winters they have yet to experience and even though the temperature was far below zero, the happy couple took the opportunity to make use of their roasting pans to toboggan across the vast mass of snow.
While the Hillcrest couple adore visiting Sani Pass for snow, they have their eyes set on two overseas destinations to help satiate their love of all things snowy; New Zealand and Alaska.
“Snow is just magical as before it falls, there is dead silence and you can hear a pin drop. Just watching it fall is very therapeutic. It’s almost always like looking at a postcard,” said Serena.
“A big thank you to our sponsors and the community for your continued support and for sharing your pictures with us. Without you we would’t be able to continue our work,” said Rob.
Check out Snow Report SA on:
Facebook: Snow Report SA
Twitter: SnowReportSA
Youtube: Snow Report SA
Do you want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message (not an sms) with your name and surname (ONLY) to 060 532 5409.
You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Highway Mail WhatsApp number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts
