Worldwide Mountain & Snow Sports Discussion 2023/24

[Blessed Weather]

With November a couple of days away, right on cue the GFS model is forecasting the first notable accumulation of snow in the Alps and Pyrenees during the next week. So a good time to relaunch the Worldwide Mountain and Snow Sports thread for the upcoming season. It's very early days of course with no doubt much waxing and waning to come as we move towards the start of the season, but nevertheless nice to see and adds to the sense of anticipation for those of us who love the mountains and winter snowsports. 

30th Oct  7th Nov

And what are the prospects for the upcoming season in an El Nino year? A little early to quote winter forecasts (other than preliminary thoughts that have been published) but there are a couple of interesting charts shown in the Severe Weather Europe preliminary Winter 2023/2024 Snowfall Predictions that I'd like to show. The first shows the 500mb geopotential height anomaly for Dec - Feb for the last eleven El Nino winters. The above average heights to the west of the UK and below average heights to the east suggests an increased chance of cold northerly incursions bringing snowfall to the northern Alps in an El Nino winter, and if that happens Austria would be best placed.

And for the USA/Canada prospests the above chart suggests the more southern resorts along the Rockies will stand the better chance of seeing 'normal' snowfall amounts. This is confirmed by the second chart showing the variance from long-term average snowfall experienced during El Nino years, suggesting resorts in California, Nevada and Utah might fare best.

Here on Netweather there's lots of skiing related content to be accessed during the season, including:

Netweather Ski Centre - from here you can view the snow report, weather forecast, and resort information, for just about every mountain resort in the world, including a dedicated page for Scottish resorts.

Ski &amp Snowboard Weather Forecast & Snow Report - Netweather.tv

WWW.NETWEATHER.TV

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Weather forecasts & snow reports for ski and snowboard resorts worldwide.

There is also a special Alpine Charts page where you can zoom in on GFS charts showing precipitation, freezing level, temperature, etc.

Here's hoping for a snowy winter! And for those lucky enough to get away, don't forget to post your pics!

[DavidS]

Well ski season is upon us, and right on cue the snow gods have started to deliver.

Images are GFS off Wetter for 24,72 & 120hrs

Edited October 31, 2023 by DavidS
Spelling

[seaside 60]

Its already started by the cam on top of Edelweissspitze.

 

[Blessed Weather]

Nice to read this on the Weather to Ski website today. Resorts over 2,300m could be seeing up to 40cms. Extract:

Today in the Alps...
Updated: 11am Thursday 2 November 2023 - Significant snow at altitude in the Alps!

The weather in the Alps remains very unsettled today, with a new storm crossing the Alps from west to east which will deliver significant snow at altitude to many regions.

Link and full story: https://www.weathertoski.co.uk/weather-snow/

The webcams confirming it's definitely snowing at altitude in the Alps. Here's a few resorts - there were some enjoying a whiteout and you couldn't see a thing!

Les Arcs 1,950m  Solden 2,500m

Val D'Isere 1,800m  Val Thorens 2,300m

Webcams images from Bergfex https://www.bergfex.com/schweiz/webcams/

 

 

[johnholmes]

yes this from 8000 ft up by th start gate for the Lauberhorn downhillLight snowfall above about 6000 FT around Wengen and Grindelwald

Slope data | jungfrau.ch

WWW.JUNGFRAU.CH

 

 

[Metwatch]

Snow line down to 1200-1300m in the Pyrenees yesterday. Zermatt seeing a nice fall this morning too, so a similar snow line there as well.

[carinthian]

50cm of fresh snow in the local mountains today. First picture is on the Shuttleberg in Ski Amade and the other in the village.

C

[carinthian]

One of my favourite places this morning, Alpendorf in Ski Amade.

Edited November 4, 2023 by carinthian

[ANYWEATHER]

Wow ,looks very pretty....☺

[carinthian]

Here is a live webcam shot of our local ski -mountain from this morning. Another 20cm forecast this evening and more precipitation arrives.

C

[carinthian]

The Piston Boys out in force this morning. Plenty of fresh snow to work on above 1500m level. Temperatures for the week expected to remain close to freezing level at 1500m.

C

[John Stevens]

The season is off with a bang!!! Let’s hope it can maintain it until the end of April looking forward to my first trip in five years in Feb, to Cesana Torinase….

[carinthian]

Rare Polar light image caught on web-cam  last night over Hohe Tauren National Park.  Piste work on the Fanningberg early this morning above the clouds.

C

[Metwatch]

 

 

 

[johnholmes]

Just a light covering above about 5000 ft with the snow cannons going full blast by the Lauberhorn start gate area.

https://www.jungfrau.ch/webcams/lauberhorn/#/

 

[carinthian]

Couple of picture. First one is Avoriaz from yesterday and the second one this morning outside the hut snow clearing in Zauchensee.

C

[Metwatch]

Flying over the Picos de Europa National park this afternoon across northern Spain and it does look largely snow free. The highest peak there Is Torre de Cerredo at about 2650m.

 

Sierra Nevada resort in southern Spain and a lot of the Pyrenees also low with snow currently.

Perhaps next week a lot of higher regions and ski resorts across Spain should get a nice covering if the Mid Atlantic ridge arrives and sends a colder northerly down there.

[Metwatch]

Edited November 17, 2023 by Metwatch

[carinthian]

Some nice pictures sent this of this mornings snowfall from one of my favourite spots, Hubertusalm on the Shuttleberg above Flachauwinkl.

C

[Hotspur62]

On 18/11/2023 at 09:09, carinthian said:

Some nice pictures sent this of this mornings snowfall from one of my favourite spots, Hubertusalm on the Shuttleberg above Flachauwinkl.

C

Looks like winter will really get going for You Carinthian as next week progresses and into the following week.A great start to the ski season one would think for Austria Switzerland Italy and France.Even Scotland could get into some of the action by next weekend.Also Scandinavia seems to have had one of its coldest Novembers for a good 10 years I think.If that cold stays in place we in Blighty could be well positioned if we can get some cold from the North East this winter

[carinthian]

12 hours ago, Hotspur62 said:

Looks like winter will really get going for You Carinthian as next week progresses and into the following week.A great start to the ski season one would think for Austria Switzerland Italy and France.Even Scotland could get into some of the action by next weekend.Also Scandinavia seems to have had one of its coldest Novembers for a good 10 years I think.If that cold stays in place we in Blighty could be well positioned if we can get some cold from the North East this winter

Aye, looking good for weekend opening. The cold front should produce some nice snow cover and lower temps.  Could be quite an icy landscape across Blighty on Sunday morning. Plenty of water to freeze over going by all accounts. The langlauf Ski Park next to where my daughter lives in Stockholm all so hopes to be in operation this coming weekend. She is excited with that prospect !

 C

Edited November 20, 2023 by carinthian

[carinthian]

Fantastic Monday morning . Work in progress to get the runs open on Friday. Plenty of deep fresh powdery snow. All runs will be open from the top station in picture down to the village.

C

[Metwatch]

 

The Alps in western Austria have got a dumping and there's more to come! 

Edited November 28, 2023 by Metwatch

[carinthian]

Some serious amounts of snowfall in the higher regions of The Austrian Arlberg. Currently , the European cold front continues to deliver.

 C

[Blessed Weather]

Confirmation of the promising lead-up to the 23/24 season. Fingers crossed we can avoid any hair dryer warm southerlies between now and the season start.