Snow that fell on the 14th still had not melted on the 17th, three days later, remaining here and there. In shaded areas, further cold has hardened the remaining snow into slick ice in many places.
The Palaceside Building rooftop, open to the public on weekdays from 11:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., was covered in snow that continued not to melt, and for safety we had to cancel public access on the 15th and 16th.
On the 17th, however, blessed with clear skies and low but steady sunshine from morning, 15 people including building staff, facility managers, security guards, and cleaners took shovels in hand and cleared snow from the concrete paths and around benches on the rooftop. This snow, a few centimeters deep, was heavy with moisture and felt substantial when scooped. After about an hour's work, snow was piled beside paths except on the lawn, making the rooftop safe to use again, so public access resumed the same day. Only a handful of visitors came, perhaps because of the cold.
This cold seems likely to continue, so rooftop snow will melt slowly. Patches of snow remain, but the winter view from the rooftop is exceptional. Enduring the chill for a change of pace on the roof might be worthwhile.