 Poster: A snowHead
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Could anyone comment on what traffic out of Le Lac might be like this coming Saturday? Need to be at Geneva by 1:30pm so planning on leaving 9ish.
Thanks
Ian
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Chocksaway, how are the UK airports looking for Saturday please?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Be gone at 6 am or dont bother, seriously.
I left at 6 on the 9th Jan, not a busy week, and was in a line of traffic at that time.
Leave early, stop at lovely Annecy for a few hours for a walk round and breakfast.
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UK airports will be 'windy' in the north......
Wibbles.
Leeds-le-bump will be very interesting if the wind speed/gusts are to be believed..... 20 to 30 knot crosswind.....
Manchester straight down 23.................
Chambery could be interesting too it depends where the wind is as all take-offs have to be on runway 36. If the tail wind component is more than 10-12 knots then.................................
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Having said that Chambery currently has 2knots variable forecast for tomorrow.
Leeds tomorrow 35 gusting 50 SW.
Update tomorrow 1800
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@IANL100, Be gone by 0700 or ensure you have a flexible ticket. Tignes to GVA is 2 hours 45mins with no traffic on a Tuesday night in June. On a Saturday in Jan 4 hours should be comfortable, 20 mins to ditch the renter and 2 hours to get from the car check in and get through security and the gate.
@Minion1980, The forecast will appear tomorrow afternoon - the detailed airport forecasts on which I rely are only valid for 24 hours so I have to wait until after 1100 GMT at the very earliest the day before.
Night Night
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@chocksaway, I see, thanks a lot chocksaway, have a nice evening.
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Here we go........
We were met with thin cloud just around the peaks this morning, luckily this burnt away by the time we had made it to the lifts to leave yet another day of blue skies and sunshine. I did a couple of hours as I had an afternoon paying bills etc (don't they know I'm exempt up here??). However, the pistes are still very good, as it was a warm night they were a bit softer this morning. I did try a little bit of off piste to the side of Paquerettes - the less said about the hard snow strewn with rocks the better - think we'd better wait for the new snow. Today was the final day of the IPC world champs - some fantastic (and high speed) displays of bravery on the Lognan pistes, some of the sit skis seem jet propelled.
Now for the difficult bit - nailing the weather over the next 3 days: tomorrow will start like to day but the clouds will gather after lunch and the winds will pick up - closing the higher lifts early I would think - might be a day to be back in your own valley by lunchtime - especially of it is your last day  . However, for the 22000 cars escaping the weather should pose no problems, likewise the 27000 arrivals unless your timing coincides with the start of the light snow just after dark. Now Sunday looks wild - I would still prefer the front to come another 50 miles south to give us a reasonable amount of snow, the snow line will start at 1400m and rise through the day to 2100m by close of play. The high lifts will be closed because of the wind - but bear with it as low resorts such as Meribel are going to suffer heavy rain. My best guess for Tignes and Val D'Isere is 10-20cm, resorts to the North will get more, those to the South will lose out again. The wind will also change direction through the storm compounding the challenges for the pisteurs on Monday. There will be further showers and wind in the early hours of Monday but by morning we should be left with a few clouds, little wind and sun by lunchtime - but it will be crazily warm during the day with the freezing level at 4000m  Tuesday will be much more benign with a sunny morning and cloudy afternoon and the freezing level dropping to 2000m. Wednesday and Thrusday look showery but with a snow level well below Les Brevieres (loud cheer!).
And the travel - the first issue is will all the aircraft be in the right place tonight for the early departures especially Manchester and North - overnight it is going to be shocking, there is a chance of diversions in the heavy gusty winds so an airline planners nightmare. Likewise if you are on an overnight/early ferry I hope you have a decent pair of sea-legs. However, once morning comes the strongest of the winds will have abated - but it will still be a bumpy ride and a wet walk across the carpark - this becomes more and more applicable the further north your airport is. Also Manchester, Leeds and the Scottish airports may suffer from snow or sleet showers through the morning, this could mean a bit of runway and aircraft de-icing if there they get a large shower. Over here it will be much more benign in the morning which means there is a chance of patchy fog at Chambery, Lyon and Geneva but the winds will soon increase and disperse this, so it may slow things down a little if it forms and maybe the early flights for Chambery will delay a bit to wait for it to blow away. For the late flights it will be wet and bumpy as the weather travels south.
SO all in all it will be bumpy at one end or another so 'belt up' and in the words of an American Flight Attendant after we had landed with a thump at LAX "Ladies and Gentlemen please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo taxies us back to the terminal. And please take care when you open the overhead lockers as sure as hell after that landing your bags will have shifted!!" Bon Voyage.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Or, after a 777 FO first landing at Denver, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain seated whilst what's left of the aircraft is taxied to the terminal'. Good old BA.
Mind you I did have one hell of a bounce at Leeds once-upon-a-time; but the less said about that the better........
It was a looong time ago.....
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Chocks. The potential 10 to 15 knot southerly after the morning fog could cause chaos at Chambery.......
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Maersk, Looking at the Terminal Area Forecast the cloud and vis should still allow a circling approach to the Northerly runway - not too much margin for error in the forecast though. However the current visibility is not great and reducing.....
And Newcastle have popped snow into the forecast for tomorrow morning......
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Thanks @chocksaway, off we go tomorrow morning into the wild blue yonder.
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And the curse of Chambery continues - the first Tommy from Bristol is now landing at Lyon - all the other Chambery departures are sat on the ground in the UK - wise chaps!
Lovely day in the mountains mind - soon be time to go and enjoy a quiet Saturday on the piste.
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You know it makes sense.
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Easy transfer today from Grenoble. No traffic going up, fair amount coming down around Aime.
Looking forward to tomorrow...
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Well the ones that got in are all on the ground at Chambery now......
TAF showing 10 to 12 knot tailwind for 36 take offs ......
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Sat 30-01-16 15:57; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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A pal has just taken 4 hours to get from Tignes to Moutiers. The start of the French holiday I presume.....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Maersk, Odd - when did he leave, the French hols start next weekend, I wonder if there was an accident???
@Dr Rock, Welcome to the playground - tomorrow may look slightly different......
Overnight the weather fronts decided to slow down which was good news for us as the significant cloud didn't arrive till about 3 o clock. The down side was the wind didn't arrive to clear the fog at Chambery which meant a lot of hanging around in the UK for some and a trip to Lyon for at least one bunch of jollidaymakers. Howerver, those on the overnight Eurostar had a more frustrating time I think after a trespass incident in the tunnel. At least extra buses were laid on from Bourg when they finally arrived.
After yesterdays temperatures had softened the snow the frost overnight hardened it so there was quite a bit of slipping and sliding round Grattalu and especially down to La Daille which is becoming quite slick. However the slopes in the sun soon yielded as we watched the approaching darkness approach. However, the lift companies in both resorts have declared spring and most of the lifts are now open for 15 or 30 minutes longer, but do check before you have that last one in the Grand Marnier bar!
The weather pattern is in constant flux so tomorrow is very difficult to call with variations in wind direction and speed together with the wide variation in temperatures. So having made my excuses I'll have a go: the cloud will progressively thicken this evening and the snow will start around 8pm. Initially the snow level will be around 1300m, but this will rise through the night and Sunday to 1600m by lift opening and 2300m by bedtime. The winds will pick up during the day and be quite variable - I would stay close to home just in case they do arrive early. Overall, the amount of snow will probably top my estimate of yesterday but of course this will vary from top to bottom as it turns to rain. This all means a complicated picture for the snow pack so the official risk for tomorrow is 4 - HIGH - so take care, this applies down to the lowest levels as the rain makes the snow pack heavy. Monday is going to be odd as it may be raining above Tignes if you get up for an early breakfast and the winds will drop through the morning - so a delayed start for some lifts as much blasting takes place. But then the sun will come out and it will be positively balmy with a freezing level at 3900m (another ). Tuesday will start with a veil of cloud which will clear and again it will feel warm. Wednesday will be a mixture of sunshine and showers, mercifully the snow level will drop below Brev by the afternoon. Thursday looks like being sunny but windy and cold - more like winter again!
Travelling tomorrow should be much easier - the UK will be a bit bumpy and there is a good chance of a shower at most of the UK airports. Over here the winds down the valley will not be too bad but there is a chance of a shower anywhere - but nothing to curtail flying as it stands.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I'll let you know after I receive his rant tomorrow; over that and Chambery's chaos/ineptitude/weather causing a 3.5 hour delay to the UK.
I keep telling him to book through Grenoble or Geneva. A moving coach is making distance over a packed, under resourced Aix.
Still, UK and other Euro operators are the guilty parties attempting to throw so many flights into the equivalent of a Sainsbury car park for 6 hours on a Saturday..........
Don't think I have ever seen a 18 take off. There appeared to be some today (via radar trace), presumably as the tailwind component was too high for 36.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Meanwhile it has been snowing for 3 hours now and we have about 6cm on the pavements in Le Lac 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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It is indeed still snowing and the cannons are blasting 
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What is it with L’ Aire Tignes? Generally, not too bad for a holiday resort ski station. Been here for a few weeks now listening to their output. French DJs are generally enthusiastic and professional, but virtually every day they seem to forget to put money in the slot and the station goes off air for anything from a few seconds to two or three minutes, sometimes frequently on the same days.
Young lady who does the English language service is pretty good, even injects some humour occasionally. Difficulty with her output is that it usually seems to be recorded and yesterday’s news is repeated until well into the next day. Not so bad on a slow news day, but when she starts with ‘Breaking News’ that is 12 hours old … Even worse occasionally the weather forecast is yesterday’s and of course in the nature of these things wrong.
The young man who is now doing some of the English Language service is simply awful. We thought it was beginner’s nerves, but no. His knowledge of French seems to be worse than mine and believe me that says something; continually mispronouncing common words and local names. He even seems to struggle with English and maths, believing that -6 degrees is a higher temperature than +2. Surely there is some polyphone in resort that can do better.
The music after 8pm is clearly syndicated, but you might think that a family resort might choose output that does not include a continual string of expletives which passes for some form of American rap - and yes I am an old git.
To finish on a more positive note the morning news from the Pisteurs is great (according to Mrs SL who is fluent) but it is perhaps the one service that should be translated into English – not just for Brits.
Right I’m going home tomorrow – so I’ll stop ranting until March.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Ski lots, R'Tignes is less than ideal. It is syndicated with stations down the valley and sometimes the breaks in transmission are bad. On an evening they tend to get their mandated quota of French origin songs in (like all French radio stations) and, yes, sometimes I think that the DJs don't understand what they are playing.
As for a polyphone to do a better job - yes there is but I'm not prepared to work from 7.30 to 9 for 6 days a week for a lift pass. It would be nice if the pisteurs were translated but its not fair to expect them to do it. Last year the Alex did paraphrase it for us - clearly that's not going to happen this year.
Hope everybody got down the road OK this morning - we had a game of bus skittles near St Foy and then a couple of cars joined in the fun a bit lower down
This morning we woke to 30cm of snow and it has snowed all day - however, since I cleared my balcony nothing more has settled on it - so it is warming up. Needless to say I didn't venture out with the hardened holidaymakers but I did get a snow report from our resident ex national racer who said it was like concrete!! Both glaciers were shut all day as were the other high lifts. With the rise in temperatures overnight I don't think we are in for a powder day tomorrow - but there will be lots of new windblown snow on high and the piste bashers will make the pistes into corduroy (hopefully). Above 2000m the avalanche risk will be 4 - the official forecaster is waxing lyrical about how the snow pack will be like April because if the temperature and rain overnight and a spate of avalanches.
The snow will continue until tomorrow morning and the wind will abate through the night but the temperatures will rise leading to a snow line of 2700(!)m by morning But a breeze will remain at height. The sun will appear behind a veil of cloud mid morning and the freezing level shoots up to 4000m. Tuesday will be similar with the temperatures dropping a little. Winter returns on Wednesday with snow for most of the day down to below 1500m, there may be the odd glimpse of cloud. Thursday is a little unpredictable but a mix of sunshine and showers and a snowline where it should be at this time of year. Friday looks like being sunny - beyond that it looks unsettled but to be honest I have more chance of picking the winning numbers in Lotto than getting it right!
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We ventured out for a short time around Val Claret. The snow was pretty heavy and as there were so few runs open there were crowds gathered wherever the few open lifts took us. An uncomfortable mixture of beginners struggling with the conditions and frustrated skiers going a bit too quickly around the crowds. Eventually Tufts opened so we got a couple of enjoyable runs up there until the crowds migrated there and then we went for Hot Chocolate and Chips- my favourite lunch.
Hoping for better things tomorrow as we are meeting Steve Angus for a lesson in the morning. Fingers crossed they get the links open......
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Got back from a fantastic week in Tignes yesterday.
Flights, transfers and accommodation were all separate, which at booking seemed very complex, but in reality was all very simple. Flights into Lyon were reasonable and took no time at all. Transfers were simple enough and also fairly priced (used Ben's Bus link on first page).
We were based in les Brevieres, and there was a bit of concern about altitude from the group. They needn't have worried, as there was good snow all week and we didn't feel cut off from the rest of the resort. Most of us got the full Espace pass and it was well worth it. Scary amount of terrain, few lift queues etc. Superb.
8 of us stayed in the 12-person Chalet le Vallon (http://www.skicats.co.uk/), run by our wonderful hosts Judith and Gary. It was spacious, food was great, hot tub was awesome - everything you could want. J&G were super helpful and knowledgeable too.
There wasn't a whiff of snow all week, but the conditions were still good (not sure how), and we even found some small pockets of super soft powder - couldn't believe it!
Cannot recommend it enough.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@chocksaway, perhaps the radio station could enlist your services to recruit a half decent English language announcer.
Good powder today, when you could see it, if a little humid. About to empty the dregs out of the spirit bottles, before heading down the mountain first thing tomorrow and filling up with wine in Albertville. Braehead on Saturday and perhaps Glencoe on Sunday, oh and a bit of work - it is not really going to be the same.
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The first law of the Alps:
"When you come home from the pub it should be colder than when you go to the pub"
I was there for a couple of hours and when I came home it was 4 degs warmer - it is now officially raining 
Tomorrow is going to be interesting - top tip stay between the poles.
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You know it makes sense.
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We returned last night from a visit to our apartment in Val Claret.
We do think that the noise levels at night need addressing. Its becoming ridiculous. We are away from the main centre by over 150m (in Le Pramecou) - but the noise from drunken 'oiks' returning from the bars etc at 3 or 4 am was the worst it has ever been (we have had our place for 10 years).
It was compounded by a party of Belgium blokes, who thought partying at 5am was highly socially acceptable. Kind of got fed up with calling the local '17' number to report it - heaven knows how many times they came out - no idea if they imposed the 60€ fine each time. Visited the apartments agents 4 times - they had had so many complaints, they just shrugged.
Don't know what its like else where in Val C or Tignes - but this issue is getting worse and worse. I have 6 pervious renters who have said they will not go back - simply because of the noise at night.
Any locals know if this sort of thing is being looked at or are they just burying their heads in the snow . . . Medium/Long term - its a real negative for the place.
Having said all that - we had a great weeks skiing  (and are back again in April - and we have been fully booked from the start of Dec all the way through to the end of April).
Captain S
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Captain Snowy, just competing 6 weeks in our gaf in Val Claret. Only had one week of intermittent problem, more young Brits with serious volume control problems, who seemed to think that every sentence in English is require to start with the word "Like ...". We formerly rented in Val d' and had problems from year to year. Seemed to get to a certain point and local boys in bleu would take action for a while and then it would gradually build again.
Didn't know about the "17" number so thanks for that.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Nice and quiet here in Le Lac...apart from the cannons and binmen this morning.
I think today will be better visibility than yesterday...it is warm though, plenty of dripping water.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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What the "pisteur artists" do on a low risk day. Grande Motte Saturday.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Captain Snowy, nice and quiet in Lavachet but our block is mostly owners & families.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I guess our block is more rental based overall. Its the noise of folk screaming and shouting, returning from the bars and Blue Girl at 4 am that is really getting us down Going to raise it at our next Apartment block owners meeting see if we can put up a united front (that would be a novelty!)
Captain S
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CS - I sympathise and there does seem to be a trend of not caring about other people. A mate asked some students to belt up before Christmas - it was not their fault - the travel company should have put them in a block with no residents!! On the odd occasion I have had problems in the block the police seemed to be a little more proactive when my permanent resident French neighbour called - perhaps he went to school with the Chief Flic!
The thin veil of cloud ebbed and flowed this morning, but thickened through the afternoon as the wind picked up. The pistes are in great condition, as it was about +4 at 2100m this morning they were not rock hard like yesterday. We explored a lot of the area and some of the high off piste had a chalky surface where it had been chopped up nicely (eg under the Vanoise Chair). Elsewhere there was still a slick crust which did start to give in some places, but we really needed the clouds to depart to really get spring snow going, there were one or two nice turns but the vast areas of untracked shiny snow told the story!
And now back to the forecast - I was chatting to a Pisteur in the pub last night and this season has caused all sorts of headaches for the avalanche risk forecasters in Bourg, as they cannot recall such wild swings in temperatures for many years. As their job really does involve massive amounts of experience they have nothing to compare it too.
By tomorrow morning the sky will be dark and it should start snowing down to 1300m by breakfast time. there will already be a stiff breeze so it will be at least a layer colder in the morning. The temperatures will drop through the day (the freezing level is at 2500m now, by this time tomorrow it will be at 600m) and the wind speed will pick up dramatically, so by close of play it will be 2 or even 3 layers colder than today!! We are expecting somewhere between 10 and 15cm of snow. I expect the high lifts to close during the day, indeed they may not even open them in the first place. Thursday will be a mixed bag, still cold with sunny periods in the morning and light snow showers in the afternoon. Friday on the other hand will be great, the freezing level shoots up to 2500m and the sun will be out all day .Saturday will see sunny periods and the cloud thickening through the day ahead of snow showers late into the evening, so hopefully avoiding too any travel chaos, there will still be traffic jams though. Sunday will be stormy - with showers of snow down into the valley and string winds. After that, unsettled.
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Thanks @chocksaway, very helpful as usual.
We skied around Aguille Percee this afternoon and saw a lot of areas where big slides were evident. It was probably the pisteur's handiwork from yesterday but was impressive none the less. Interesting what you say about it being such an unusual season to predict. There is a lot of extreme weather around this year, that's for sure!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Started snowing a couple of hours ago - now snowing moderately to heavily - just the day for an off piste session with Evo 2...................
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FAQ
