The Alps, Current and Future

[carinthian]

Evening,

Clouds more broken this afternoon. Still a gusty NEly with a significant wind chill. Temperatures now MS 5 at 1500m and MS10 AT 3000m. Does indicate the development of a shallow cold pool. Precipitation and pressure fall up wind in Hungary suggests more snowfall in our region tomorrow and Thursday with some advection of colder upper air into Switzerland for a while, anyway.Snow depth 30cm at 2200 and 18cm in my back garden. Snow has been blown off the roof today. The wife to ski tomorrow for the first time this season . Lucky her !

C

Morning all,

Last nights snowfall arrived and added a fresh deposit of 20cm. Sunny skies this morning but still with a sharp NEly. Snow depth this morning measured at 40cm in the village and air temp is currently MS in our garden. My wife is taking to the slopes this morning and should report back on the piste conditions. Looks good on webcam.

C

[chrisbooth0070]

See this

Thread

[Snow Man]

Thats a great site, thanks! I've got just over 3 weeks until I hit the slopes, thankfully Alpe D'huez has snow, but I would like it to have plenty more, c'mon winter get you butt in gear!

[chrisbooth0070]

I've nothing booked skiing wise yet, but I should be going to Austria for a week in Feb and Les 2 Alpes 17th - 31st March. Plenty of time for snow between now and then. My mate is going to Tignes tomorrow for Christmas. There seems to be enough there. Just hope the temps dont increase, as there prob won't be any further dumps whilst he's there.

[carinthian]

Morning all,

Last nights snowfall arrived and added a fresh deposit of 20cm. Sunny skies this morning but still with a sharp NEly. Snow depth this morning measured at 40cm in the village and air temp is currently MS in our garden. My wife is taking to the slopes this morning and should report back on the piste conditions. Looks good on webcam.

C

Afternnon,

Good thread Chris Booth. Clearly shows last night snow progress through the Austrian Alps. Todays max temp in Katschberg was MS5c with forecast low tonight of MS 12c. Todays ski-ing was reported to be excellent with most of the slopes empty. Snow makers on overtime tonight.

C

[smich]

Things are looking a bit bleak for me now :unsure:

Courchevel is just about open, but I'll have to head off to Val Thorens for the good stuff I reckon. Looking forward to seeing the "4th Valley" over at Orelle, last time I was there, it was just two runs...

Fingers crossed for a good dump first week of Jan, or it's nasty rock hard pistes for me - bwahhhhh!

smich

[Snow Man]

Looks like theres some nice percip on the way for parts of the French Alps by next weekend! Hope so!

[john w]

Hi

I am a bit worried about arinsal in andorra where I hope to ski in 2 weeks this weekend. There seems to be a high parked over the pyrenees for all that time and I think its gunna be snow cannon snow....or an absolute disaster!

Heres hoping!

[Snow Man]

Looks like there is some heading for the Alps from the 2nd of Jan and could be around as long as 2 weeks, leading to avalanche risks, but non-the less a lot of snow that is needed!

[J10]

From about Monday onwards there always looked a possiblity of some snow on higher Alps around New Year and more general snow seems likely for the Laps around the 1st/2nd Jan from even 1000m up. Looking Much better.

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rtavn1084.png

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rmgfs144sum.gif 144hr Precipitation amounts, looking plenty for the Alps.

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rtavn1082.png, Anything Below 0c at 850Hpa I think means snow for 1000m+.

[john w]

I agree the alps are looking quite promising, I dont think the same is going to happen for those pyrenees though....a couple of weeks on artificial snow I fear. Lets hope those snow cannons keep pasting some snow on the slopes

[Kaaren]

I'm now back from The Haute Savoie and Aravis range, based in Le Gran-Bornand enjoying an unlikely 15 days of hard and fast skiing!! The resort advertised limited skiing with the Chatelet lift being open onto the Maroly area but this amounted to a scree slope on the lower run which did nothing to improve the underside of my skis, nor sons' snow-boards.

Despite having created the largest reservoir in the whole of Europe in the summer to feed the snow cannons, this wasn't operational for two reasons: the dew point temperature was too high initially, (must be below -3), and also during the testing phase, a resident in Chinaillon felt so aggrieved with the operating noise overnight that he hit the emergency stop, causing a major blockage which necessitated a part being made in Switzerland to restore the system. Altogether an almighty debacle.

Travelled the 6 kms to La Balme,(2600 metres), in La Clusaz daily which did have great skiing due to altitude and effective use of cannons on the lower pistes. Clusaz has a rock base as opposed to Le Grand-Bornand which is pasture land and needs less snow to be skiable but this benefit is cancelled out by the lower altitudes, although it does ski longer into the season.

Still pretty bizarre that I didn't see even one naturally occurring falling snow-flake in my time there!!!??

A great holiday and I'll try and get back in February half term which is my usual start to the season. Apparently this snow drought occurred 12 years ago and locals see a pattern emerging in that the season seems to be delayed a week each year? They are expecting a huge and welcome dump on Wednesday so all you skiers about to head out, please watch and take heed of the avalanche warnings.

Enjoy!

Edited December 31, 2006 by Kaaren

[carinthian]

Looks like there is some heading for the Alps from the 2nd of Jan and could be around as long as 2 weeks, leading to avalanche risks, but non-the less a lot of snow that is needed!

Afternoon and Happy New Year,

Drawing up todays Mid-Day isobar flow chart for the Alps does show formation of a low circulation now taking place with the greater pressure falls in the Southern Alps. Met Office fax charts have prog that development for later today. So some welcome snowfall can be expected in the next 24 hours or so, particuarly in Switzerlands Valais and Grisons and into Austrian Voralborg.

No snowfall yet in Carinthia but looks if we might get a top up soon. Wish I was out there ski-ing with the rest of the clan. Not long to wait now, off at weekend for a few weeks.

C

[Snow Man]

Yea, Im going on the 12th of Jan to Alpe D'huez, its looking pretty damn good for me now, I've jsut gotta keep an eye on the avalance risk, and there are 42 of us going so we've gotta keep everybody safe, but as its looking now, we shud have some nice runs, and hopefully most of the runs will be open.

[john w]

Could any of you guys let us know how it looks for andorra, I know its a fair way off from the alps, but I am slightly optimistic that some of this precip hitting the alps would at least fall on the andorran pyrenees!!!! I just wish that high over spain would nudge just a l;ittle south

[carinthian]

Looks like there is some heading for the Alps from the 2nd of Jan and could be around as long as 2 weeks, leading to avalanche risks, but non-the less a lot of snow that is needed!

Afternoon and Happy New Year,

Drawing up todays Mid-Day isobar flow chart for the Alps does show formation of a low circulation now taking place with the greater pressure falls in the Southern Alps. Met Office fax charts have prog that development for later today. So some welcome snowfall can be expected in the next 24 hours or so, particuarly in Switzerlands Valais and Grisons and into Austrian Voralborg.

No snowfall yet in Carinthia but looks if we might get a top up soon. Wish I was out there ski-ing with the rest of the clan. Not long to wait now, off at weekend for a few weeks.

Hi,

Fresh falls arrived today.

C

[smich]

I'm off to Courcheval on Saturday and was really starting to sweat!

Webcams look great this morning thank god - hopefully 50cms of fresh, which should packdown nicely. Get to work you pistebashers!

smich

[Red Raven]

Not posted here for a while as i hoped to post some good news, but alas there isnt any. Temperatures in Dolomites are above freezing. At 1200m 12 degrees was reached today and at 2450m it got +4.6. Its turning out to be awful!

[smich]

Hi everyone,

Just got back from a week in Courchevel, so I thought I would report on the conditions!

The snowpack is holding up very well, considering the spring like conditions. We had an amazing +7 deg at Saulire (2700m) on Thursday (a Temp inversion meant we had +3 at 1850m! ) The lower slopes are quite slushy, but some snow making has been possible so things aren't too bad. Sadly when the snow has thawed and refrozen it's never quite the same again, so some new snow will be needed soon the freshen things up.

My advice is to stay as high as you can - the snow up at the higher altitudes is fine.

As for my holiday - fan-flippin'-tastic is all I can say. Fantastic conditions early in the week, and my only issue was a hire ski that started to fall apart while I was right over the other side of the three valleys on Orelle side. First one edge came away at the back - not a problem really, just use it as my uphill edge. But then the other side started to come away too Made it back safely though!

Happy skiing peeps - I'm gutted to be home.

smich

[Polar Bear]

Hi everyone,

Just got back from a week in Courchevel, so I thought I would report on the conditions!

The snowpack is holding up very well, considering the spring like conditions. We had an amazing +7 deg at Saulire (2700m) on Thursday (a Temp inversion meant we had +3 at 1850m! ) The lower slopes are quite slushy, but some snow making has been possible so things aren't too bad. Sadly when the snow has thawed and refrozen it's never quite the same again, so some new snow will be needed soon the freshen things up.

My advice is to stay as high as you can - the snow up at the higher altitudes is fine.

As for my holiday - fan-flippin'-tastic is all I can say. Fantastic conditions early in the week, and my only issue was a hire ski that started to fall apart while I was right over the other side of the three valleys on Orelle side. First one edge came away at the back - not a problem really, just use it as my uphill edge. But then the other side started to come away too Made it back safely though!

Happy skiing peeps - I'm gutted to be home.

smich

Hey Smich

you must have been there at the same time as me! Was at courcheval 1650...towards end of the week not much in way of snow and icey conditions further up...1850 was a wee bit bit better - but went to Val Thorens on friday...what a difference that was...much nicer. as you said smich..the higher the better - val thoren is at about 2700.

Went to Salire on i think the thursday...very good up there. only a beginner but my friends did ok..

I am very sad to be home and I have got the bug..I am not brilliant by any means but I would love to be there. we have a friend who is still out there for 5 weeks.

I hope the snow improves for you all out there. Have lots of fun skiing if anyone of you is still out there...and let us know if you get any more snow...on a mopre serious note...why wasnt there much snow last week and Smich...did you understand the weather systems over there? ...my instructor tried to explain it to me...in very broken english..something about how some systems creat more for 1850 and not much for 1650..can you shed any light?!!!!!

[smich]

Hi PB,

The main reason for the lack of snow last week was the High Pressure over Europe, I guess, although you'd normally expect clear skies and cold temps with that scenario. Depends on where the HP actually sits.

One thing to bear in mind is that clouds are essentially moisture, and if you a cloud high up in the cold mountains, then that moisture will will be frozen ie. snow. Thurs night in 3 valleys last week had some cloud pass over in the small hours and 2 cms of fresh appeared on top of the groomed snow that the piste bashers had just prepared. Lower down, nothing, not even rain.

Had some great weather last week actually - Mon/Tues had flat clouds down in the valleys, like a lake, Fri am we saw a fogbow and the clouds coming and going that day were quite eerie at times.

smich

[Polar Bear]

Hi PB,

The main reason for the lack of snow last week was the High Pressure over Europe, I guess, although you'd normally expect clear skies and cold temps with that scenario. Depends on where the HP actually sits.

One thing to bear in mind is that clouds are essentially moisture, and if you a cloud high up in the cold mountains, then that moisture will will be frozen ie. snow. Thurs night in 3 valleys last week had some cloud pass over in the small hours and 2 cms of fresh appeared on top of the groomed snow that the piste bashers had just prepared. Lower down, nothing, not even rain.

Had some great weather last week actually - Mon/Tues had flat clouds down in the valleys, like a lake, Fri am we saw a fogbow and the clouds coming and going that day were quite eerie at times.

smich

Thanks Smich! I did think it was something like that but thought there may be a more local explanation...cool. Yes with regard to the weather you saw the same as me..the fog etc and those low clouds...amazing. The fogbow came over Valthoren in the pm and yes that was real eerie...the guys that skiied over from Meribel hit some strong winds too coming over. We took loads of pictures..all with great clouds and I think I will have to either post them here - if I can work out how to do it or send you a few....

Wonder if they will get any snow this week...not that it helps us being over here!

[carinthian]

Some very warm air today in the Northern Alpine Regions. Local Fohn affects in the Foreland of Switzerland, Jura Mts and Upper Rhine and into Northern Austria. Natural snowline is in the region of 1500m plus generally across much of the Alps today. Tuesday should see this level dropping fairly quickly as with the temperatures.

Went up the Pasterze Glacier last week at about 3000m under Grossglockner summit. Shocked to see ice melt with air temp several degrees above zero. Amazing turn round in 12 months in my region of the Hohe Tauern. Last year saw the coldest and snowiest winter there for 20 years to be followed by the warmest January ever recorded here so far, but big changes a foot this coming week with plenty of snowfall forecast after yesterdays gales and heavy rainfall and todays warmth !

C

[Stratos Ferric]

...did you understand the weather systems over there? ...my instructor tried to explain it to me...in very broken english..something about how some systems creat more for 1850 and not much for 1650..can you shed any light?!!!!!

Mountain weather, particularly in large Massifs, has a character all of its own. In all but the very largest frontal systems falls can vary significantly from place to place. There's actually NO reason for 1850 (which is actually at about 1762 or so as I recall) and 1650 to get differing amounts of falling snow other than because of height. When I was there in March last year we had snow falling at 1850 and were in rain down at 1550 three or four minutes later. I've certainly known situations when Val d'Isere (maybe 15 miles away as the crow flies) had a foot of snow and "le plus grand domaine skiable..." had diddly squat. Much depends on wind direction and both Val D'Isere and Val Tho are favoured by being at valley heads: Courchevel and Meribel have valley side locations. There tends to be more mixing across ridges and hence, over a long time, average precipitation is higher.

The one occasion when there can be notable variation tends to be in convective situations; often into spring, when warm air from the valley is producing cloud below the peaks farabove. It can be snowing steadily in the cloud, but but not snowing out of, or below. There's been plenty of occasions when I've skied in 2-3" of fresh snow at the tops, whilst in resort there's been nothing.

[carinthian]

Some very warm air today in the Northern Alpine Regions. Local Fohn affects in the Foreland of Switzerland, Jura Mts and Upper Rhine and into Northern Austria. Natural snowline is in the region of 1500m plus generally across much of the Alps today. Tuesday should see this level dropping fairly quickly as with the temperatures.

Went up the Pasterze Glacier last week at about 3000m under Grossglockner summit. Shocked to see ice melt with air temp several degrees above zero. Amazing turn round in 12 months in my region of the Hohe Tauern. Last year saw the coldest and snowiest winter there for 20 years to be followed by the warmest January ever recorded here so far, but big changes a foot this coming week with plenty of snowfall forecast after yesterdays gales and heavy rainfall and todays warmth !

C

Morning ,

A bit colder today. Temps still above zero. The latest 3 day prog forecasts snowfall with max temp of -10c on Wednesday at the 1600m in the village and -16c at 2200m on the top of Katschberg Mountain.

Good news for JH , snow and blizzards for Wengen by Tuesday.

C