Archaic noun referring to the melting of snow. In modern Japanese, the verbal expression 雪が消える or 雪解け is more common.
See also: 雪解
In old waka poems, the word 雪消え is used to express the arrival of spring.
second lunar month
Compound of 雪 (yuki, 'snow') and 消え (kie, 'disappearing'), from the verb 消える (kieru, 'to disappear'). The reading ゆきぎえ reflects rendaku voicing of きえ to ぎえ.