 Poster: A snowHead
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| pam w wrote: |
| some big inversions around. This is from skipass.com where someone has posted that in Valberg (station in the southern French Alps) they are making snow in the valley and taking it up the mountain in trucks. |
Blimey! The cost that must be involved in doing that 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Fascinating.
Of course these so-called inversions are just a return to normal physics: the higher you go the closer to the sun, and therefore the warmer you get - stands to reason, dunnit! 
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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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GFS continuing to show some stormy outliers for the run up to Christmas. Not convinced at present (and the wetter site has issues so be careful for 00z charts from there this morning).
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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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Some very warm temperatures being suggested for next weekend.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
The Norwegian forecasters yr.no are predicting double digits above 2000m for French Alps next weekend. This will be the third shi*t Xmas in a row. So much for last Xmas being a once in a lifetime event... I blame the fockers in car industry with their cheating software.
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Believe me it gives me no pleasure to say I told you so. I have never wanted to be more wrong.... 
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@noza, 06z looks much nicer than 00z. Gone by 12z  ?
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yr.no draw on ECM and it has been showing mild temperature next weekend for a while. That said what it currently suggests temperatures of 12C at 1500m in places. For double digit temperatures above 2000m you'd need that to be around 14-16C at 1500m. So not impossible but I can't see it being shown right now. Do you have the link? (not disagreeing with you by the way, but not quite sure why you are hitting the "told you so" tone?).
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Millom, yep GFS 06z is several degrees cooler than ECM 00z and GFS 00z for next weekend.
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@nozawaonsen,
Voilà http://www.yr.no/place/France/Rhône-Alpes/Oz~2988883/long.html
Apologies for the tone, just disappointed as heading out next weekend.
Better news on snowforecast.com who are forecasting 9cm at altitude next thurs/fri
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| nozawaonsen wrote: |
| yr.no draw on ECM and it has been showing mild temperature next weekend for a while. That said what it currently suggests temperatures of 12C at 1500m in places. For double digit temperatures above 2000m you'd need that to be around 14-16C at 1500m. So not impossible but I can't see it being shown right now. Do you have the link? (not disagreeing with you by the way, but not quite sure why you are hitting the "told you so" tone?). |
Not if the temps are inverted, which they currently seem to be a lot of the time.
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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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Hhmmmm. Still thinking about booking La Tania for next weekend. Trying to work out if having poor skiing is better than no skiing at all. I'm inclined to think it is, but not sure I want to spend £800 for it That said, my lack of experience means that practice in poor conditions is all useful.
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| Quote: |
nozawaonsen wrote:
yr.no draw on ECM and it has been showing mild temperature next weekend for a while. That said what it currently suggests temperatures of 12C at 1500m in places. For double digit temperatures above 2000m you'd need that to be around 14-16C at 1500m. So not impossible but I can't see it being shown right now. Do you have the link? (not disagreeing with you by the way, but not quite sure why you are hitting the "told you so" tone?).
Not if the temps are inverted, which they currently seem to be a lot of the time.
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Regional weather forecasts generally do not predict inversions as these are far too localised (e.g. to valley floors) to be predictable at that scale. Very detailed local mountain-weather forecasts will predict them up to a point. ECM / GFS predictions will be based on the "normal" temperature profile.
That's my understanding anyway, happy to be corrected!
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You know it makes sense.
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Agree - Saalbach has been showing inversions on its web cams some days and not others. As you say, must be local.
(Of course webcams aren't 100% accurate as they may be warmed by the sun..)
Read somewhere that inversions are very common at this stage in the season
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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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@SnoodyMcFlude, I'd wait at least until Wednesday and if things look at they do now recommend you don't book! If the weather offers some more hope or you just want to go anyway then you should be able to get something for < £350 in Tignes or 3 Valleys for Christmas week by booking in the second half of next week. Obviously lift pass etc. on top.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'd suggest Courchevel 1850, Mottaret or Val Thorens if you decide on 3 Valleys!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Inversions are almost guaranteed when there is persistent high pressure
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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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| Millom wrote: |
| I'd suggest Courchevel 1850, Mottaret or Val Thorens if you decide on 3 Valleys! |
All comes down to budget again though, the reason I'm looking at La Tania is because it's a cheap-ish deal. My thinking is that I'll get the lift out in the morning and other than that won't really head lower than 1850 anyway other than on the way back each evening. So I'd basically only be skiing the really thin stuff once a day. Will definitely wait to book anything, but don't want to be kicking myself if I stay home. I'm quite happy plugging around a limited number of pistes on crap snow, it's better than sat at home for 2 weeks with nothing to do but sit on the sofa and eat.
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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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@SnoodyMcFlude, currently option with Neilson at around £350pp in Les Menuires, with less than a week to go I'd expect them to wave any single supplement (probably best to phone them).
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| Millom wrote: |
| @SnoodyMcFlude, currently option with Neilson at around £350pp in Les Menuires, with less than a week to go I'd expect them to wave any single supplement (probably best to phone them). |
Cool, thanks for the heads up. Was going to be phoning around next week anyway but hadn't thought about the single supplement thing, every deal I'm looking at currently is based on it just being one person travelling.
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Im hoping that things would have returned to near normal by january.. Heading to Skiwelt on the 22nd, so fingers crossed that some descent snow falls during January. Any thoughts on the possibility that the area could suffer from a lack of snow that far into the season?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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The global climate change conference has finished now so things will return to normal.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Don87,
People on this thread are inclined to say things like:
1. Snow conditions now are not an indication of what conditions will be like next month
2. It only takes a day to change everything
3. It could be great, it could be bad, who knows at the moment
A few thoughts:
1. Skiwelt is quite low so would benefit from lower temps which may not come in Jan (see some posts above)
2. Last year I was in Salzburgerland in early Jan. There was heavy snowfall one week that meant everything from great, then the next week was very high temps (record for Salzburg City for Jan I think) and then lots of places were very poor conditions (lots of shut runs) for a period
You could hire a car (or at least get one you can cancel) and then give yourself more flexibility if conditions require it.
See https://forum.netweather.tv/topic/84332-alps-pyrenees-snow-thread-201516/?page=6 for some talk on possible temps for Jan (not specific to this year).
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Sun 13-12-15 17:44; edited 1 time in total
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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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@Millom, no offence, but maybe stick to saying what you want to say rather than say what you think other people are going to say??
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@noza, do you have anything else to add for Don87? I'm no expert like yourself but these things are the standard responses to this sort of question but please let me know if they don't apply here! I'd rather not say "I think" concerning the weather because I'm only following advice others have given, hence the phrase I used  .
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You know it makes sense.
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@Don87, I have no skills in forecasting whatsoever, but I was in Soll last January. They had just a big dump before we arrived and it was great (granted, we were lucky to have lots of snow but sun while we were there). However, Skiwelt does have a lot of snowmaking so as long as temperatures are low you should be ok.
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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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Nice vid down to la Tania. However, I fear there is more natural snow on the NYM than there is in the lower 3V.
Come on jetstream, get a wiggle on.............
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Poster: A snowHead
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@SnoodyMcFlude, bussing snow up the hill seems mad but I guess the big cost comes in making the snow. All resorts have plenty of snow uplift capacity - they use tipper trucks all the time to remove the snow from the streets and tip it over a cliff or into a river somewhere. Some massive inversions around - though this was earlier in the month. Nearly 20 degrees in 700m!
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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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Low altitude?? Eg Austrian resorts?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'm also heading to skiwelt end of January. There has been a few seasonal forecasts, around October November, indicating a stormy season, milder at the start with the cold starting late January early February.... So fingers crossed we should be ok!
El Nino could produce some epic dumps if it's cold enough, the general consensus seems to be it could go either way.
I seem to be able to find loads of seasonal winter forecasts in October but as winter progresses they don't develop them or elaborate further?
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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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@mattiwilkin, not sure what you are asking?
Though keep in mind that although Austria has lower resorts they tend to be colder as they are further east. As a result you cannot compare altitude like for like from the western and eastern Alps.
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@Jones82, just read back over the last few pages of this thread and you will find several. Though as ever be cautious with LRFs.
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@nozawaonsen,
| Quote: |
This would bring lots of wet weather and heavy snow at altitude if it played out.
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I think he is asking about your comment here and wondering if there will also be lots of snow in Austrian resorts if this scenario does play out.
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@Lauka, if that scenario played out then yes though more so at higher resorts. But the comparison I'd look at would be between higher and lower mountains in eastern Alps rather than trying to compare east and west.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Temperature Inversion
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@Lauka, in France and Austria it will depend on the altitude of the resort compared to local freezing levels. Snow does fall below the zero isotherm, but not that far below (maybe 200m). Freezing levels which are forecast are, on average (as is usually the case) lower in Austria than in France - but still horribly high, many well above 2000m. There are high altitude resorts in Austria and there are low altitude resorts in France. It's one of the many unhelpful generalisations that French resorts are high altitude and Austrian resorts are low altitude. Loads of French resorts top out at 2000m. I'm based in one of them, and not optimistic about the prospects in the next couple of weeks. But things really can change very quickly.
If temperatures stay as currently forecast (ie very mild) and there is a lot of precipitation some resorts, in both countries, are likely to have rain right to the top of their ski areas - and perhaps the majority will have rain at village/base level. A miserable prospect, really, for those going skiing at Christmas. But it's not that unusual. I have vivid memories of trekking through Mottaret, in early January, in the pouring rain with a lot of luggage and three disconsolate kids.
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FAQ
