The Alps 2012-13 Weather and Skiing Discussion Thread

[johnholmes]

Good to see the sun out at last, -9C at 8000ft so not many deck chairs out yet!

But 5ft of snow here and almost 3ft in the village-if only I was rich and could be over there again tomorrow?!

http://panocam.panomax.at/lauberhorn

probably pretty similar over a lot of the northern Alps?

nice day on the other side of the valley at Murren, but a lot of cloud still hanging around above Grindelwald as the web cam shows on the link above if you click on the top left

Edited February 9, 2013 by johnholmes

[weathertoski]

Good to see the sun out at last, -9C at 8000ft so not many deck chairs out yet!

But 5ft of snow here and almost 3ft in the village-if only I was rich and could be over there again tomorrow?!

http://panocam.panomax.at/lauberhorn

probably pretty similar over a lot of the northern Alps?

nice day on the other side of the valley at Murren, but a lot of cloud still hanging around above Grindelwald as the web cam shows on the link above if you click on the top left

Hi John, yes sun for some today but snow showers did continue in the north-eastern Swiss Alps as well as parts of Austria. Engelberg now has 500cm up top, the highest figure in the Alps! All eyes on the southern Alps later tomorrow and Monday with some significant snow for many Italian resorts. I will be in Madesimo on Monday so will try to report back (assuming I can get out of Heathrow!) Snow forecast for Milan (where I am landing) too! Whatever happens, I am guaranteed some action!

[carinthian]

Another cold week of sub zero temperatures and snow totals adding up. Again there has been a lot of cloud cover, but when the sunshines its just magical conditions .Those travelling out from the UK this week will have some great ski-ing conditions and again forecast into the busy half term week..Been to Shladaming today to watch the World Cup Mens Downhill, just blew me away with its high speed decents. Back home tonight -10C with light snowfall. Time for a beer in the local.

C

[johnholmes]

Its almost 10 days since the tables were put out so the locals must be expecting the fine weather to last a few days

http://www.webcam-4i...degg-Wetter.php

not shown here with -7C the reclining chairs and blankets will be out here

http://www.swisspano...lichencam3.html

and see my link above for the view on the Lauberhorn

snow depths given below and they will be higher on the Murren slopes and those at First above grindelwald

Lauterbrunnen : 45 cm (17.55 in) Wengen : 80 cm (31.20 in) Figeller : 110 cm (42.90 in) Innerwengen : 80 cm (31.20 in) Wengernalp : 130 cm (50.70 in) Kleine Scheidegg : 160 cm (62.40 in) Lauberhorn : 170 cm (66.30 in) Eigergletscher : 190 cm (74.10 in) Männlichen : 170 cm (66.30 in) General condition : - on upper slopes : powder snow - on lower slopes : powder snow

and another web cam movie this time from Murren from a hotel that has a balcony where you can have a coffee or meal with about 600ft vertical drop beneath the edge of the balcony!

http://www.bergfex.c.../webcams/c5482/

and yet another one, this time from Wengen

http://www.bergfex.com/jungfrau-maennlichen-wengen/webcams/c4692/

I'm in heaven-if where I end up looks like any of the video cams I will be one very happy spirit!

Edited February 10, 2013 by johnholmes

[nick sussex]

How about this from Cauterets my nearest resort. Its officially got the best snow depth anywhere in the world with upper slopes showing an astonishing 5.60 metres!

This is likely to be added to over the next few days, should be over 6 metres by midweek!

[J10]

and another web cam movie this time from Murren from a hotel that has a balcony where you can have a coffee or meal with about 600ft vertical drop beneath the edge of the balcony!

http://www.bergfex.c.../webcams/c5482/

Incredibly stunning.

[johnholmes]

How about this from Cauterets my nearest resort. Its officially got the best snow depth anywhere in the world with upper slopes showing an astonishing 5.60 metres!

This is likely to be added to over the next few days, should be over 6 metres by midweek!

any web cams Nick?

[Tamara]

My German friend has gone to the Kitzbühel area

http://www.skigebiet...kitzbuehel.html

She is a black run skier so should be finding the conditions great fun!

[Great Plum]

Incredibly stunning.

I am often of the thought that the Bernese Oberland is one of the most beautiful places on earth... Still not been there in winter though...

[nick sussex]

any web cams Nick?

Theres some here on the main site:

http://www.cauterets.com/

It really has been an incredible last few weeks in terms of snow falling, although at times too much with a high avalanche risk.

http://www.cauterets.com/en-hiver/webcams

Edited February 10, 2013 by nick sussex

[J10]

It is time for the weekly update to snow depths in different resorts.

Time to update those snow depths.

Wengen (Switzerland) 65cm/160cm [40cm/120cm], 30cm on 2 Feb, 38cm (L7), Excellent, Powder (3 Feb)
Avoriaz (France) 230/270cm [210cm/250cm], 10cm on 3 Feb, 81cm (L7), Powder, Tracked (3 Feb)
Kitzbuhel (Austria) 40cm/145cm [40cm/140cm], 25cm on 3 Feb, 38cm (L7), Powder, Powder (3 Feb)
Borovets (Bulgaria) 110cm/160cm [60cm/120cm], 4 cm on 24 Jan, 0cm (L7), Good, Varied (1 Feb)
Couchavel (France) 130cm/220cm [116cm/155cm], 10cm [L3], Snow Type : Machine Groomed (3 Feb)
Livigno (Italy) 65cm/192cm [63cm/198cm], 5cm [L3], Snow Type : Machine Groomed (3 Feb)
Westendorf (Austria) 55cm/135cm [55cm/135cm], 15cm [L3], Snow Type Powder/Powder (3 Feb)

Time to update those snow depths.

Wengen (Switzerland) 80cm/185cm [65cm/160cm], 30cm on 2 Feb, 65cm (L7), Excellent, Tracked (10 Feb)
Avoriaz (France) 285/325cm [230/270cm], 2cm on 9 Feb, 50cm (L7), Excellent, Powder (10 Feb)
Kitzbuhel (Austria) 80cm/175cm [40cm/145cm], 5cm on 10 Feb, 65cm (L7), Excellent, Tracked (10 Feb)
Borovets (Bulgaria) 129cm/170cm [110cm/160cm], 15cm on 7 Feb,, 15cm (L7), Excellent, Fresh (8 Feb)
Couchavel (France) 153/220cm [130cm/220cm], 0cm [L3], Snow Type : Machine Groomed (10 Feb)
Cauterets (France) 450/560cm [n/a], 25cm [L3], Snow Type: Packed Powder (10 Feb)
Livigno (Italy) 65cm/198cm [65cm/192cm], 0cm [L3], Snow Type : n/a (10 Feb)
Westendorf (Austria) 90cm/160cm [55cm/135cm], 15cm [L3], Snow Type Powder/Powder (10 Feb)

Large amounts of new snow at all resorts, with possible exception of Borovets, and indeed huge snowfall generally at Cauterets.

Edited February 10, 2013 by Jackone

[Pipine]

Nice to see Westendorf snow depths improve Just three weeks til we go.. lots of friends have been away already and posted amazing videos of knee deep powder in Ischgl and Sauze D'Oulx... looks like its been a great season so far in most places...

[Staffordshire]

Just wondering what effect does an easterly have on the alps snow wise? cheers

Edited February 13, 2013 by Staffordshire

[ScottSnow]

Just wondering what effect does an easterly have on the alps snow wise? cheers

Generally cold and dry conditions prevail in the Alps when an easterly is prevalent. I'm off to Morzine next week and conditions look excellent, I can't wait !!!

The Alps seem to be having an amazing season with lots of snow even for the lower resorts.

[Staffordshire]

Generally cold and dry conditions prevail in the Alps when an easterly is prevalent. I'm off to Morzine next week and conditions look excellent, I can't wait !!!

The Alps seem to be having an amazing season with lots of snow even for the lower resorts.

thanks, have fun

[-uksnow-]

Generally cold and dry conditions prevail in the Alps when an easterly is prevalent. I'm off to Morzine next week and conditions look excellent, I can't wait !!!

The Alps seem to be having an amazing season with lots of snow even for the lower resorts.

This is a genuine question, not an answer (i'll try not to make it sound like one) ... BUT could someone help me with this...

ECM and UKMO charts would surely bring in a fair bit of moisture from the med with them, would this not cause relief snowfall (air rising, cooling, condensing and snowwwwwing) for the alps with the set up that looks likely to shape up next week? (Ignoring the c r a p GFS that is)

edit: This combined with the fact the alps recieves more direct sunlight than our slightly higher lattitude, surely all adds to convective potential especially with cold air aloft?

Edited February 14, 2013 by -eded-

[ScottSnow]

This is a genuine question, not an answer (i'll try not to make it sound like one) ... BUT could someone help me with this...

ECM and UKMO charts would surely bring in a fair bit of moisture from the med with them, would this not cause relief snowfall (air rising, cooling, condensing and snowwwwwing) for the alps with the set up that looks likely to shape up next week? (Ignoring the c r a p GFS that is)

edit: This combined with the fact the alps recieves more direct sunlight than our slightly higher lattitude, surely all adds to convective potential especially with cold air aloft?

This setup would bring the cold calm conditions I wrote about as the air source is from Central Europe/Russia. Yes you are correct that there can be low pressure systems which do bring easterly winds for the Alps but the air is sourced from the south.

[-uksnow-]

This setup would bring the cold calm conditions I wrote about as the air source is from Central Europe/Russia. Yes you are correct that there can be low pressure systems which do bring easterly winds for the Alps but the air is sourced from the south.

Ah but your looking at the GFS so that can be scrapped!

[ScottSnow]

Ah but your looking at the GFS so that can be scrapped!

Well go back and find a chart in the archives there are plenty of examples of a similar setup.

Edited February 14, 2013 by Snow White

[ScottSnow]

Here is an example of the surface winds being easterly but they are sourced from the south (Mediterranean).

Another example, 'eded' notice how the winds at the surface are from the east but the air source is from the south. The chart I posted earlier was not something that I thought was going to happen it was merely an example of a synoptic pattern.

Edited February 14, 2013 by Snow White

[-uksnow-]

Well go back and find a chart in the archives there are plenty of examples of a similar setup.

Here is an example of the surface winds being easterly but they are sourced from the south (Mediterranean).

Another example, 'eded' notice how the winds at the surface are from the east but the air source is from the south. The chart I posted earlier was not something that I thought was going to happen it was merely an example of a synoptic pattern.

Whats with the tone? I asked a simple question and no offense was intended with my second post...

Anyhow, both UKMO and ECM paint a snow scene for the alps next week (latter half) so thats good.

[weathertoski]

any web cams Nick?

Hi John, here is a shot from Cauterets courtesy of the lift company. It was taken about 10 days ago but says it all! Edited February 14, 2013 by weathertoski

[Staffordshire]

Sorry for being a novice here but i dont have a clue about topography and how mountains will effect snowfall etc..

But talk of snow for next week... if its coming from the south that means a fair bit for the italian mountains but not so much for german ones? or will it intensify it? and what days could it start?

[johnholmes]

Hi John, here is a shot from Cauterets courtesy of the lift company. It was taken about 10 days ago but says it all!

yes it seems to have been a very good season for most areas this winter

[J10]

Too much snow in the Pyrenees?

http://pistehors.com/news/ski/comments/1077-snow-too-much-of-a-good-thing/

Looking at GFS, not that wet over the Alps over next 6 days, definitely wetter over Northern areas, and with 850Hpa temps being sub zero, most of any precipitation should fall as snow. As ever a full update tomorrow evening.

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/topkarten/fsgfsmeur.html