Will Boston's Tide Street Snow Pile Melt Before Summer's End?

Based on snowfall totals in the city of Boston, this past winter was historically brutal. You would think the 110.6 inches of snow would be long gone at this point in the summer, especially with the Fourth of July now in the books, right?

Think again. Boston’s Tide Street snow dump is still very alive and kicking. The 12-foot-high frozen pile is what’s left over from the record-breaking winter months. And at this rate, it’s making a push to outlive the summer heat.

The Tide Street lot was one of 11 “snow farms” utilized by Boston’s public works crews when clearing the city’s streets during the relentless periods of snow. At its high point, the Tide Street pile stood at a towering 75 feet. Crews removed roughly 40,000 truckloads of snow in total this past winter.

So what’s keeping this massive eyesore from melting? The collection of trash mixed in with the frozen flakes. The trash has helped to insulate the monstrous mess from the sun’s rays. City officials say they’ve discovered bicycles, fire hydrants, hubcaps, manhole covers and all sorts of other items mixed into the spectacle.

According to the New York Times, even with temperatures in the 80s, “standing next to it is like standing next to a freezer with the door open.”

The pile has outlasted the guesses of many, prompting Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to have some fun. He challenged local residents to guess when the snow will finally vanish. His contest runs through July 15, but many Bostonians feel it will long outlive that date.

“Now that it’s summer, we can have some fun and talk about how we recovered from the historic amount of snow Boston received,” Walsh said. “I’m surprised to see that we still have unmelted snow here!”

Many have submitted estimates on Twitter using #BOSMeltNow. Some have predicted dates in August and September. Others are calling for an October disappearance.

When do you think it will finally melt? Comment below to share your predictions!