[b]Latest Conditions [/b]

After a very slow start to the season, there has been plentiful snow over recent weeks, the past week has been drier, but with blue skies, so great skiing conditions for those out there.

As ever visit, the Ski Club of GB website for latest details.

[url="http://www.skiclub.co.uk/skiclub/snowreports/default.aspx"]http://www.skiclub.c...ts/default.aspx[/url]
[u][url="http://www.snow-forecast.com/pages/tips_full"]http://www.snow-fore...pages/tips_full[/url][/u]

A very mixed week ahead, unsettled with periods of rain and snow, but after a brief period of turning every mild at the start of the week, it looks as if the Snow Level dropping lower towards next weekend, at least for a time.


[b]Synoptic Patterns and Progression[/b]

As for much of the winter we seem to be stuck in a +NAO pattern, with low pressure over the Northern Latitudes with a temporary Surface High over Greenland but with a vigorous Polar Vortex above this. There is low pressure over Scandinavia feeding in cool or cold North Westerly winds over much of Europe (including the Alps). The Azores High has ridges a long way North East edging into western Europe including the UK, starting to feed in mild to very mild over the UK after a cool start.
[attachment=125989:Current 30th Dec.JPG]

The general +NAO pattern will not change over the next 7 days, but within this, there will be warmer and cooler periods of weather as we will see below.

Saturday will see the Azores High Pressure (1036mb) a bit further south, but still feeding mild SW winds of a Tropical Maritime airflow into the UK and the rest of Western Europe including the western half of the Alps. Low Pressure over Scandinavia with NW winds keeping it very cold here, and remaining cool over the rest of Eastern Europe for the time being.
[attachment=125976:30 Dec +24.JPG]

Sunday sees the whole pattern edge east, with the milder SW flow over most of Europe and into Southern Scandinavia, remaining cold over Northern Scandinavia and cold also for SE Europe. the Winds over the Atlantic turning more of a NW direction and colder air flooding south, so tuning cooler over the UK later.

[attachment=125978:30 Dec +48.JPG]

Monday sees Low Pressure again dominating the scene over the Atlantic, and now over Greenland , with winds more of a flatter westerly direction, but with the cold air pumped south into the Western Atlantic previously, this should feed moderated Polar Maritime air over the UK, so cool or cold here. Mild further east over most of mainland Europe with SW winds, but staying cold over the far north of Scandinavia and Russia.
[attachment=125980:30 Dec +72.JPG]

Tuesday sees things unsettled on a zonal flow, NW winds pushing into the UK , so cool or cold again, and perhaps stormy over northern areas for a time. South westerly winds over Europe (including the alps), so generally mild, but slightly cooler further north and east, remaining cold over Northern Scandinavia.
[attachment=125982:30 Dec +96.JPG]

Wednesday, sees more a flatter Westerly flow on top of the Azores High to the south, cool over much of Northern and Western Europe (including the Alps from yesterday's NW blast). Milder towards Southern and Eastern Europe, remaining cold over Northern Scandinavia, and turning milder again from the west for the UK, as a Tropical Maritime airflow sets in for a time.
[attachment=125984:30 Dec +120.JPG]

Thursday and Friday a bit uncertain at this stage, the zonal pattern remains set with a mix of cool/cold Polar Maritime air and milder Tropical Maritime air, with perhaps a more general period of Tropical Maritime air around the weekend over the UK if the Azores High Pressure pushes further North East as currently suggested.
[attachment=125986:30 Dec +144.JPG] [attachment=125988:30 Dec +168.JPG]

[b]Alps Detail[/b]

[b]Freezing Levels (noon)[/b]

[b]Sat 31 Dec - [/b]2200m to 2400 (West), 1400 to 2200m (Central), 600m to 900m ( W Austria), turning milder from west
[b]Sun 1 Jan - [/b]2400m to 2700m (South West) 1800m to 2000m W Austria
[b]Mon 2 Jan - [/b]1700m to 2100m generally, over 2500m E Austria, turning colder from west
[b]Tue 3 Jan - [/b]1200m to 1600m generally
[b]Wed 4 Jan - [/b]800m to 1000m North, 1000m to 1600m Central, 1800m to 2000m Western Italy
[b]Thur 5 Jan - [/b]800m to 1200m North, 1200m to 1500m Central, 1800m to 2400m Western Italy
[b]Fri 6 Jan -[/b] 600m to 1000m Generally, 1000 to 1400m Western Italy

[b]Freezing Levels (6am)[/b]

[b]Sat 31 Dec -[/b] 1600 to 1800m (Far West), 0 to 300m (East)
[b]Sun 1 Jan - [/b]over 2000m generally, colder far Wast Austria
[b]Mon 2 Jan - [/b]over 2000m generally, 900-1500m for South Austria and Northern Italy,
[b]Tue 3 Jan - [/b]0 to 400m South and West (Inc Switzerland), 600-1000m elswewhere
[b]Wed 4 Jan - [/b]1200m to 1500m generally
[b]Thur 5 Jan -[/b] Around 1000m , pockets lower
[b]Fri 6 Jan[/b] - 200m to 600m generally, around 800-1000m Italy

850 Hpa Temps (noon)

[b]Sat 31 Dec - [/b]+3 in West, 5c in East
[b]Sun 1 Jan - [/b]+3 to +6c generally
[b]Mon 2 Jan - [/b]+2 to +5c generally, pockets around 0c, S Austria
[b]Tue 3 Jan -[/b] -1 to +1c generally
[b]Wed 4 Jan - [/b]-4c (North) to +3c (South)
[b]Thur 5 Jan - [/b]-3c (North) to 0c (South)[b],[/b] but up to +7c (W Italy)
[b]Fri 6 Jan[/b] - -7c (North) to -3c (South)[b],[/b] but up to +1c (W Italy)

[b]Sat 31 Dec -[/b] Patchy snow to start over Austria dying out by morning. A warm front pushing in form the west with some heavy precipitation to start over the Portes du Soleil, Western Switzerland, with more general precipitation over Western areas. (SL 2000m (W) 1000m (E). The Precipitation continuing during the day for the above areas, but also for western Austria, Southern Germany and N Italy, SL rising to 2200 (W), 1600, E Switzerland, 800m into Austria. [attachment=125975:30 Dec +24 Alps.JPG]

The Precipitation pushing East later, for Switzerland and Austria, heaviest along the border, SL 2200m generally, 1200m far east.

[b]Sun 1 Jan[/b] - The rain (SL 2000m) tending to push further into Austria later and drying out by afternoon and turning drier elsewhere, much milder than recently at the end of the day. [attachment=125977:30 Dec +48 Alps.JPG]

[b]Mon 2 Jan[/b] - Dry to start but a cold front pushes into western areas later, precipitation over France and Switzerland, heaviest along the France Switzerland border, (SL 1200m (W), 1500 (E). This pushing east by evening with the heaviest precipitation over the Austria Switzerland border, but lighter outbreaks for the rest of Switzerland, Austria and fringing areas of Germany and Italy, SL around 1200m. [attachment=125979:30 Dec +72 Alps.JPG]

[b]Tue 3 Jan - [/b]The precipitation pushing SE over NE Italy overnight with the snow level around 1200m and heavy snow possible over the highest hills. Turning drier and colder elsewhere. [attachment=125981:30 Dec +96 Alps.JPG]

[b]Wed 4 Jan [/b]- Another band of precipitation edging down from the north, with some precipitation likely for Germany initially and then Austria and Switzerland, SL 1000-1200m, tending to die out by evening. [attachment=125983:30 Dec +120 Alps.JPG]

[b]Thur 5 Jan and Fri 6 Jan -[/b] A long way out given current trends but Thursday could be very snowy as another front pushes down from the North, and heavy precipitation, with snow to around 1000m, lasing for much of the day, for Northern areas to start, transferring into more central areas later, but confidence is low this far out. Friday at this stage, sees the precipitation dying out slowly and a cold day generally. [attachment=125985:30 Dec +144 Alps.JPG] [attachment=125987:30 Dec +168 Alps.JPG]

[b]Summary [/b]A very mixed week with a mix of Polar Maritime and Tropical Maritime airflow, higher slopes could easily see further heavy snowfalls, and I wouldn't be surprised if some higher slopes saw over 50cm of fresh snow over the next 7 days.