Worldwide Mountain & Snow Sports Discussion 2023/24

[Blessed Weather]

  @Metwatch What a dreadful sight for January! Looks awful. I had a quick look at onthesnow and they're reporting snowpack levels across the Pyrenees are currently only 33% of normal, and only slightly better in the Haute-Pyrenees where levels are 43% of normal. For their sake and indeed the Alps too I hope the GFS 06z is on the money with the arrival of a cold airmass and snow around the 8th Feb.

onthesnow link: https://www.onthesnow.co.uk/pyrenees/skireport

[Penguin16]

It’s just killer for lower altitude sites. A resort in Vosges mountains in France only above 1200m has started opening a month later now due to recent years. I imagine it will be closing sooner too. Currently doesn’t have a flake 

[Penguin16]

  @carinthian How common has that become over the years? Seems like snow shortages in alps are happening almost yearly at some point? Is there a rapid change from only 10 20 years ago?

[Blessed Weather]

13 minutes ago, Penguin16 said:

How common has that become over the years? Seems like snow shortages in alps are happening almost yearly at some point? Is there a rapid change from only 10 20 years ago?

I'm afraid it really isn't good news. Take a look at this research article published in March 2021. Extracts:

Observed snow depth trends in the European Alps: 1971 to 2019

Here, we present an Alpine-wide analysis of snow depth from six Alpine countries – Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, and Switzerland – including altogether more than 2000 stations of which more than 800 were used for the trend assessment. The average trend among all stations for seasonal (November to May) mean snow depth was −8.4 % per decade, for seasonal maximum snow depth −5.6 % per decade, and for seasonal snow cover duration −5.6 % per decade.

Full paper: https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/1343/2021/

[carinthian]

  @Penguin16 Back in the 70s when I first skied in Alpbach (800m ) in the Tirol you could almost guarantee snow down in the village. Not so any more. Many of those lovely traditional resorts are no longer available on a package deal because of the unreliable snow amounts. Resorts at 1000m and above now more certain of snow but they are expensive. For example a 3 star hotel in Zauchensee at 1450m near where I live would cost 2000 euro for a week on the piste with snow certain. Lower down the valley, many resort hotels empty due to lack of snow but available for half the price.  I have to say, more snow has fallen above 1500m during the past 10 years compared to previous decades. Probably one of the quirks of nature caused by global warming. However, my wife who comes from these parts has seen a big visible retreat of the glaciers.

C

Edited January 27 by carinthian

[Norrance]

My brother and sister in law are away to Obergurgl this week for the third year in a row, Looks like conditions will be ok to good but just as well that they have gone high I suspect.

[Norrance]

Looks like they have got lucky at least so far. Snow is fine and weather excellent. 

[Typhoon John]

We just had an excellent week in the Dolomites.  Despite the warm 850s and high pressure the snow generally held up well all week and the only day it became very soft was Saturday.  I think a combination of being away from the hottest temperatures and the still relatively short days kept melting on the pistes to a minimum.

[Norrance]

Sis -in-law on her first run of her last day. Ended up with bruised ribs but not too bothered as visibility was poor and it was the last day. They had a good week despite some quite high temps. The benefits of going high.

Not happy at my brov as he stopped to take a photie while some locals helped her

[Blessed Weather]

That's what brovs do Norrance! Well me and mine did anyway.
Hope she's OK with nothing too serious.

[Norrance]

 Blessed Weather yes she is fine. Really enjoyed her holiday.

[DavidS]

Arrived in Soelden on Sunday and there  had been fresh snow above 1500m, with about 15cm above 2000m. This made for really good skiing today. It is currently snowing now at resort level (approx 1300m), So hopefully we will wake up to a fresh covering tomorrow.

This is my first time to the area and I must say the Oetz valley is spectacular.

[J10]

Just saw this on Twitter / X yesterday. https://twitter.com/severeweatherEU   Temperature Records look like they are being smashed in Austria this month.

Looking at the webcams for Kitzbuhel today while glorious sunshine, snow in short supply on sun facing slopes. This is taken from the top of the Hahnenkamm (kitz.net)

 

While there was plenty of snow there in January, hopefully conditions will improve and I can post a proper wintry scene there last this month/winter.

 

[John Stevens]

Second day of skiing here in the middle of the Via Lattea. Nice skiing, but feels more like Easter than the middle of February!! And looks like it to!!

[DavidS]

It looks like the end of this week and the weekend could bring some much needed  more widespread snow to the Alps and the Pyrenees, with temperatures continuing to decrease to something more appropriate for the time of year.

We are back from our week in Sölden, and while Thursday and Friday last week were a tad warm, we did enjoy some excellent skiing. Luckily most of the skiing is above 2000m and we even had about 15cm of fresh powder overnight on Monday last week, so the conditions on Tuesday were really good. Although the valley runs were best avoided.

This was my first to Sölden and I really enjoyed it. I would definitely come again and also recommend to anyone, however if I do go back I would like to go at a quieter time of year.

[J10]

Finally the snow has arrived over the Alps with more forecast over the weekend.

Heavy Snowfall in the Alps - The Whiteroom

WWW.SNOW-FORECAST.COM

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What is forecast to be the biggest snowfall of 2024 so far is getting underway in the Alps, with snow also falling in the Dolomites and Pyrenees. The snow is expected to keep falling in many areas through the weekend...

 

[John Stevens]

Well today was our last day in Cesana Torinese. Overnight there was about 25cm…a beauty of a powder day! What a day to end the week. Some of the best skiing I’ve had! And it looks like they’ve got another 50cm in the next week!! The season will end on a high!

[Blessed Weather]

 John Stevens Lovely pics John, thanks for sharing. Looks like a gem of a resort.

[johnholmes]

I'd never heard of it but it looks gorgeous, tks for the lovely photos

[carinthian]

Morning. After weeks on nothingness and mildness, the weather gods have finally delivered. This weekends starts with sunshine and a fresh cover of deep snow. The next few weeks should be good. Great deals at the moment so grab yourself and bargin and get yourselves over here ! live  shot from village earlier this morning.

C

Edited February 24 by carinthian

[John Stevens]

 johnholmes it was lovely! It’s part of the Milky Way, between Claviere and Sestriere

[carinthian]

Some more pictures from the village this morning. The last one is the most important one ( clearing a path way to the pub ( Alderhorst )

C

[*Stormforce~beka*]

Anyone else just read this thread for their snow fix??! ...

[carinthian]

Today was a dream day on the slopes. Perfect snow, well groomed runs , sunshine and perfect temperature. Its been a long wait.

 C

C

[carinthian]

On the Fanningberg yesterday afternoon.  This Sunday expected to be the busiest of the season. Best sit in the sunshine and drink beer .

 C