I agree. Color and solar collection are incredible.

 I watch this same thing here when we get small amounts of snow. Even though the gravel driveway is near black, the snow on top reflects. But the grass way right next to it, towers above the snow and the dark color absorbs and warms in the sun, melting the snow off much faster. But if we get enough snow that the grass is also burried, it melts down at about the same rate until the grass can tower over the snow.