The Alps 2012-13 Weather and Skiing Discussion Thread

[mcboz]

Fingers crossed for next week! I'm off to Val d'Isère for new year and then Port du Soleil in Feb. Keep up the good work.

[J10]

Going by today's charts, could be turning very cold and snowy to low levels over by the Alps by the weekend.

[johnholmes]

Already there in places Julian

start area for the Lauberhorn currently

http://panocam.panomax.at/lauberhorn

Edited November 27, 2012 by johnholmes

[carinthian]

Hi , snow arrived overnight. Coldest air over the NW Alpine regions with blowing snow. Here in Carinthia, still in the warm sector of the developing low circulation, but a gradual shift to lower temperatures expected. A lot of moisture and snowfall expected over the coming days.

C

Webcam - Zeitraffer.htm

[johnholmes]

snowing into the valley both the top one at Lauterbrunnen and the lower area at Interlaken, from 15 cm at village level to 50 cm on the Lauberhorn this morning.

[Staffordshire]

Just wondering is snowfall spread evenly though the winter?

[johnholmes]

Just wondering is snowfall spread evenly though the winter?

have a look on the SkiClub web site for historical depths at the resorts, that gives an idea of what you might expect and when?

[carinthian]

Good Morning,

Sub zero temperatures now established with snow cannons in operation. Further snowfall expected over the coming days with temps continuing to fall. Lifts will be in full operation for next weekend.

C

[Kiwi]

Good Morning,

Sub zero temperatures now established with snow cannons in operation. Further snowfall expected over the coming days with temps continuing to fall. Lifts will be in full operation for next weekend.

C

Thanks Carinthian. Good news that the temps are now starting to fall and that snow is forecast over the coming week!!

Do most resorts which have very little natural cover at the moment run the snow cannons constantly overnight? What sort of temps are necessary for the cannons and what sort of depth can they add to the pistes?

[Staffordshire]

Sorry im new to skiing and just wondering if Folgaria gets much snow? compared to other places?

[J10]

Seems to have been a lot of snow across the Alps over recent days. It seems likely that this will create a base for the season over many medium to upper resorts. Alos quite few lower resorts have had dfcent snow aws well.

Just to let you know the Alps Forecast this week will be done on Sunday and should be up by late morning early afternoon.

[carinthian]

Thanks Carinthian. Good news that the temps are now starting to fall and that snow is forecast over the coming week!!

Do most resorts which have very little natural cover at the moment run the snow cannons constantly overnight? What sort of temps are necessary for the cannons and what sort of depth can they add to the pistes?

Hello Kiwi,

Snow cannons are very expensive to use and would need a good pumping station . Therefore they are used sparingly or as a last resort. The piste would need a base before they are used and then used for a top up for the piste bashers to maintain the base. Normally they are used during periods of settled dry conditions and temperatures would have to be below 0C. However, many will be in use this week , even with snowfall as the season is due to start in 7 days.

C

[Harve]

Sorry im new to skiing and just wondering if Folgaria gets much snow? compared to other places?

Looking at its location in Italy, well away from the Swiss/Austrian border, it's likely that it gets most of its snowfall from low pressure in the Mediterranean / southerly tracking lows rather than westerly winds and +NAO patterns, such as December 2011. These mostly benefit the northern/north-western Alps, and as such Italy tends to be rather dry for long stretches of time with only the occasional big dump.

However, with GP suggesting a trough over Europe, this may be one of those occasions where Italy is one of the snowier parts of the Alps (winter 2008/2009, 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 are good examples, I think). Its altitude is certainly rather low as well, since it reaches just 2000m.

So it's definitely not the place to go to bank on powder skiing, but since you're new to skiing, this really doesn't matter. As long as you're going between early January and late March there's almost definitely going to be some snow, even if it's man-made.

Edited November 30, 2012 by Harve

[Staffordshire]

Looking at its location in Italy, well away from the Swiss/Austrian border, it's likely that it gets most of its snowfall from low pressure in the Mediterranean / southerly tracking lows rather than westerly winds and +NAO patterns, such as December 2011. These mostly benefit the northern/north-western Alps, and as such Italy tends to be rather dry for long stretches of time with only the occasional big dump.

However, with GP suggesting a trough over Europe, this may be one of those occasions where Italy is one of the snowier parts of the Alps (winter 2008/2009, 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 are good examples, I think). Its altitude is certainly rather low as well, since it reaches just 2000m.

So it's definitely not the place to go to bank on powder skiing, but since you're new to skiing, this really doesn't matter. As long as you're going between early January and late March there's almost definitely going to be some snow, even if it's man-made.

thankyou very much! yes i guessed it would mainly get snow from southerly tracking lows, do the mountains enchance the PPN much and is it heavy snow? im going in feb half term, and aha good, i pick things up fairly quickly and hope to go regularly!

[m1chaels]

If you want snow check out www.montgenevre.com - french italian border, already been open for last 2 weekends and major dumping this week prior to full opening this weekend.

[carinthian]

Nice shot of the mighty Madrisa mountain on the borders of Austria and Switzerland. The other side of the Madrisa is the resort of Klosters. This side of the mountain is the wonderful resort of Gargellen, a high mountain pass resort. If you are lucky enough to go there,the Madrisa Hotel is one of the best ski in and out traditional hotels in the world !

Some of the bigger resorts now open for business today with excellent new snow conditions. Obertauren, across the valley from me is in full swing today. We expect to be in operation next Saturday. Cutting logs today, expect a long cold snowy winter !

C

[johnholmes]

http://panocam.panomax.at/lauberhorn

watch the first skiing above Kleinne Scheidegg, from the start area of the Lauberhorn, 3 lifts at the top open this weekend.

[minus 9]

Is that the eiger i can see. Great webcam. Im off to cervinia jan 12th looking good there 40- 80cm over the last few days. And more to come by the looks of it.

[johnholmes]

yes the view from there is quite superb

Eiger, Monch, Jungfrau and further to the left the mountains overlooking Grindelwald, Wetterhorn etc, from the right you can, when visibility is at its best see way beyond the valley at Interlaken out to the Black mountains in Germany. Before the Hunchkpf(it that is spelt correctly, the mountains above Murren are visible, forget their names all the way round to that is called the James Bond restaurant. Truly marvellous scenery.

[J10]

Latest Ski Blog now out.

[carinthian]

Good Morning,

This time last week all the slopes were bare. Now this morning is perfect. Minus 10C with snow flurries and powdery conditions.

Love this type of weather and lets hope for more this coming week or so. Hope you get some soon in the UK, thats proper snow I mean.

C

[Kiwi]

Good Morning,

This time last week all the slopes were bare. Now this morning is perfect. Minus 10C with snow flurries and powdery conditions.

Love this type of weather and lets hope for more this coming week or so. Hope you get some soon in the UK, thats proper snow I mean.

C

Hi Carinthian,

Yes, conditions are looking great for you ...with plenty more snow to come over the week ahead!

Amazing how things can change so quickly ....5 days ago the slopes in Russbach were green but now..........

[carinthian]

Hi Carinthian,

Yes, conditions are looking great for you ...with plenty more snow to come over the week ahead!

Amazing how things can change so quickly ....5 days ago the slopes in Russbach were green but now..........

Nice photo. Bet you are excited for your trip.? Not long now. Our season official starts next weekend, however our latest forecast is for a storm over Friday night and into Saturday morning with -26c windchill on the mountain. So skis may have to stay in storeage for a while longer but snow mobile in working operation

Looking good for further widespread snowfall in many Alpine Resorts, even to lower levels.

C

[Harve]

There's been an enormous amount of snow falling in the northern and western Alps over the past few days - more than 50cm over a large area and over 100cm in selected spots.

http://www.snow-fore...=snow.last7days

And that's from radar returns - whilst I believe they're very good with local detail, human measurements are much better. Val Thorens has recorded 125cm in the last 7 days and Verbier 105cm.

Photo of Val d'Isère found on snowheads. Having been there in the even snowier times of December 2011, I've been spoilt and probably one of the few people that wouldn't be particularly impressed by that photo.

Edited December 5, 2012 by Harve

[J10]

Looking at French Web cams and tons of snow in Portes du Soleil, not that long ago, further afield in Switzerland, a beautiful view of Wengen was shown from the top of the mountain, well here is one at resort level, and plenty of snow here as well. I can see why John goes there.

http://bellevue.roundshot.ch/