A single burner snow melter is capable of a snow start. The burner assembly has a fuel burner having adjustable combustion output and a nozzle through which products of combustion emerge, and a combustion chamber which has a first portion in substantially air-tight communication with the fuel burner and which encloses the nozzle. A second portion of the combustion chamber is shaped and dimensioned such that the second portion is placed into a snow melting receptacle or pit. The combustion chamber has a plurality of directional discharge means formed at least on its second portion through which products of combustion from the fuel burner emerge, and thus agitate, and melt snow loaded into a tank or pit. The burner assembly also includes an air cooling assembly for supplying air to cool at least the first portion of the combustion chamber.