Well, following up on my post on Tuesday about snowfall forecast: all of them downgraded the amount by about 50%, and all of them still got it wrong.
They all underestimated the snowfall, at least here in La Plagne.
We had a good 20 cm on Wednesday, a wonderful sunny day yesterday, and lotsa snow today.
After a brief period of rain around 8am this morning (rain on ice is VERY slippy: caused me to slip onto bum and seriously damage just purchased sandwich) it has been snowing steadily ever since: at least 20 cm (by amount piled onto wooden railing outside door) and its still snowing now.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Jonpim, that sounds ideal .... any chance you could blow a little further east to the Tirol ..... starting to do the snow dance for improved conditions for Serfaus - only 9 sleeps away
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?
Around 30 cm between 9 and 12 this morning in les Arcs in 3 hours prompting closure of many lifts and ski lessons finishing up early. Has continued all day at pretty decent rate though not as blizzard like as earlier.
More snow overnight in Scotland and then if that chart above verifies it looks almost certain that parts of the highlands will be looking at the deepest snow cover since 1994.......and its still only early February
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
We are in croix fry (Aravis). Over a foot of fresh
down by 5pm. I cleared the hot tub lid only to remove another foot
by 7pm with more forecast for tomorrow. It should be a good first day
Just hope the sun can make an aparence.
The Dolomitenhütte in Ostirol, Austria is a pretty stunning place anytime, but the area currently has record snow levels breaking local records in the area going back to 1960.
Have a look at some of the photos in the attached link from LWD Tirol.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Further substantial (though not huge) snowfall, heaviest in the west, looks likely for much of the Alps overnight this afternoon into tomorrow and again Monday into Tuesday. Temperatures look generally good, frequently below average.
By the end of the week though it looks like warmer air will bring higher temperatures and possibly considerable rain (below 1750)/snow in the west, but a lot of uncertainty about that.
Hints of something colder from Sunday.
There will be a strong foehn both today and Monday.
Chamonix
Arlberg
After all it is free
After all it is free
So that would suggest a cloudy snowy half term week from 15th?
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I think it predicts a lot of rain (in The Northern French Alps at least) around the 15th followed by average temps and not much precipitation but it's a long way off to be accurate.
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emwmarine, too early to say for half term week. It does look like it will warm up at the end of this week, though average (30 year mean) temperatures drop into February so above average mid February May not be much above average for mid January. GFS is suggesting potential heavy snow/rain for the western end of the Alps, but I'd wait a couple more days to see how that pans out.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Quote:
Further substantial (though not huge) snowfall, heaviest in the west, looks likely for much of the Alps overnight this afternoon into tomorrow
I just drove north through the Mont Blanc tunnel. It was raining heavily in Chamonix and up through St Gervais, turning sleety as I drove higher and absolutely chucking it down with snow from about 1300m upwards. A lot more than forecast already and there was a good 4 inches, unploughed, on the local roads for the last 3 or 4 miles of my journey. Passed several cars stopped in inconvenient places with hazards flashing, putting snowchains on.
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.
Heavy snow been falling here in Plagne 1800 for a couple of hours.
Went out for a brief walk just now, and footprints covered over by time we came back.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
The gfs seems to be sticking to a very unsettled theme for February, do other models concur?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Referring back to earlier suggestions that Snowforecast precictions of snowfall always faded away as the days approached, it seems seasonaires think so too (at least the ones i met in La Plagne).
They reckon its a conspiracy with Travel Companies to encourage punters: lots of snow forecast for Thursdays that disappears come the weekend.
Meantime, we should remember that over the last couple of weeks they seriously underestimated for the French Tarentaise.
We had wonderful conditions last week, with snow falling almost daily.
We had wonderful conditions last week, with snow falling almost daily.
It's amazing what one person's idea of "wonderful conditions" is vs others
And I hasten to add I'm in total agreement with you.
However last Friday night was talking to two different groups of people out for their "one week" a year trip who were moaning so much about the awful conditions they had to endure (we only had one day of sunshine).
Many people can not handle bad viz / powder snow etc
And we have a serious snowfall going on at the moment (I'm having a day off) here down Sarf in Serre Chevalier
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?
After a slow start snow depths are now above the 20 year average in the French Northern Alps over 1500 meters. Hopefully we're not moving into a 1999 situation.
1999 to me was epic. Mid March until late May the snowpack stability in the Northern Alps was incredible. Feb with the two disasters was shocking however. The North Face of the Bellcotte was truly incredible that season. Lived on that face. But only once it was safe. Feb was a no go zone apart from the lower mountain. But La Plagne was a great place to be
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nozawaonsen, any chance of a forecast update for Big Sky, Montana. Am off there on Saturday and cannot work out how to do the ensembles! Thanks
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kitenski wrote:
The gfs seems to be sticking to a very unsettled theme for February, do other models concur?
kitenski, there's little in the way of consistency beyond this weekend. At present ECM is building high pressure over Scandinavia which could lead to colder and more settled weather. But that seems a little at odds with other output.
ECM 12z +216
GFS 12z +216
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.
Quote:
Going to be some strong winds around tomorrow
you were dead right about that, nozawaonsen. When I left Les Saisies this morning the more exposed chairlifts were closed, because of the high winds, and there was so much loose snow blowing across the road at times that I had to slow right down to a crawl, with hardly any visibility. It wasn't a bad day to be leaving the Alps.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
The only time I get bad feedback from people who rent our apartment about the weather is when it snows/is windy/has flat light.
My guess is that people on here, as with most special interest forum, are not representative of the vast majority who go skiing. Most want blue sunshine and reasonable snow on piste fopr their holiday.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
So do I.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
emwmarine, It's blowing a hooley here on the south coast - been blowing a full gale for a while and working itself up towards the forecast Storm. Think I might go back to the Alps.....
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Can I come too?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
pam w wrote:
emwmarine, It's blowing a hooley here on the south coast - been blowing a full gale for a while and working itself up towards the forecast Storm. Think I might go back to the Alps.....
I'll see you there Friday
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?
emwmarine, definitely not going Friday. I don't do lift queues.
Only another 3 years and (not so) Little Miss Dosh will be an independent traveler and I can return the those halcyon days of off-peak skiing and no more queues. For now I'll just have to satisfy myself with using my doofah and getting up good and early to beat all the big queues in Les Contamines, come wind, snow, rain or the 4 horsemen
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
If you want to see how windy it has indeed been on the South Coast (Worthing) check out the archive weather stats from my station here
Totally superb day with the Mrs yesterday in classic conditions here in Serre Chevalier, found some wind blown but overall not too bad as you can see.
Very windy this morning though in the valley, will pass on doing lifts today.
As for next week, first lifts or ski at lunchtime if I have to, but hopefully weather will be good for touring.
Had friends ring up about coming out next week, I have warned them, but they have kids and know what half term is about, just told them not to expect me to be skiing with them all the time
Looks like some decent snowfall across the Alps and Scotland over the next week or so.
Not especially cold, but should be cold enough to bring snow to relatively low levels (1200m down to 800m) over the weekend in the Alps and early next week.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
hope your right. chamonix meteo seems to think that the snow level on friday will be above 2000m
After all it is free
After all it is free
My Tesco delivery man just struggled to carry my stuff from his van. My house is directly exposed to the wind off the harbour and it did seem particularly bad (it's been blowing a full gale for hours). "It's a hurricane!" he gasped. On checking the Chi Harbour met station I see it was gusting force 11 at the time of the delivery so he wasn't far off. This weather is just mad.
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pam w, you can see when the highest gust was at my house on the beach at Worthing today, and listening to it all on the BBC now I have the satellite working here!
Current Weather at : 18:05
Date 12/02/14
Wind SW at 44.0 mph
10 min average wind speed: 30.0
Highest Gust: 58.0 at 11:31
Wind Chill: 2.5 °C
Pressure: 989.0 Steady
Temperature: 8.3 °C
Sunrise: 7:18
Sunset: 17:12
Looking at the snow that is forecast as ever various models are in disagreement as to volumes, timings and freezing levels.
You only have to look at the charts to see just how volatile the weather is - I'm surprised we're not seeing more wind that we have had.
This image below will update and will always be for the day that you are reading this, if that makes sense
eddiethebus, I was mainly talking about snowfall on Sunday/Monday rather than Thursday/Friday. Temperatures for Chamonix do look like they will rise on Friday, though most of the snowfall looks like taking place before that.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
It's blowing a hooley here on the south coast - been blowing a full gale for a while and working itself up towards the forecast Storm. 
