 Poster: A snowHead
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roga, you are correct. It is rather a hang-wringing fest on here at the mo, with the half empty glass brigade in the ascendency.
Cover is moderate but eminently skiable, temps have generally been cold, the cannon(s) are on, the sun is shining and the forecast - as always - teasing
all part of the fun surely?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Arno wrote: |
| aren't we being a bit france(/western alps)-centric here? Bernese Oberland and east looks like it has had a good dump in the last week or so |
yes exactly, follow the snow, in France either go high > 2000 meters or go east.
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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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New snow is desparately needed in Courchevel. If you're an on-piste skier of Green-Blue-Red runs, conditions are largely alright - and excellent on the pisted runs early in the morning. However most steep reds, blacks and especially off piste are in a bad way.
I've been checking the analysis on here almost every day, many thanks to nozawaonsen for the insight!
Fingers crossed for a dumping of snow soon!
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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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Agree with Roga, there is still some very nice skiing to be had in France. We haven't had any fresh now for 3 weeks, but I still had a really pleasant afternoon today, just out cruising the pistes and working on a bit of ski technique. I suspect conditions are less good in the busier resorts, but the cold weather has kept things pretty decent overall.
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| davidof wrote: |
Snow in mid March - should start to lay down a bit of a base for later in the season.
At the moment the conditions are the worst for a generation, the only saving is that a generation ago most resorts didn't have snow canons. |
I was in Tignes in '90 in January and am in Val d'Isere now and there is no comparison in the conditions, even without the snow making they are far better now than they were then.
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roga, from Friday Scotland looks set to have a series of low pressure systems rolling across from the Atlantic. It looks like it is going to be stormy at times. Temperatures look set to gently drop during the week, but as each low pressure sytem crosses they will be raised before dropping so a fair amount of snow to rain, rain to snow. Clearly the higher you are the more likely there will be more snow than rain. Where the dividing line between snow and rain is likely to lie will be key and this is not settled yet.
Really unattractive 18z operational. The Alps look like being rather warm over the weekend. Which won't be ideal. Possibly a little light snow into Austria on Friday. Then warming up. Hmmm...
Hope those skiing in North East Italy are having fun...
Let's see how it looks tomorrow... 
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Have cheered myself up a little by seeing that the 18z operational GFS was something of a mild outlier...
Still looking rather warm Sunday and on to midweek in the Alps.
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About the best thing you can say about the models this morning is the from midweek next week there is a downward trend in temperatures back towards seasonal averages. After a pretty warm four or five days in the Alps from Saturday afternoon.
Perhaps at present it is best that there is little in the way of snow forecast given it would likely fall as rain. Much of this week looks sunny with some high cloud around... So enjoy the sunshine.
(things can of course shift fast, only last Thursday the charts seemed to offer at least the potential of cold and snow for next week, but for now that seems a fairly distant prospect across the Alps).
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Not looking good at all, how depressing !!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| nozawaonsen wrote: |
| About the best thing you can say about the models this morning is the from midweek next week there is a downward trend in temperatures back towards seasonal averages. |
Is this much the same for Austria too (Soll area)........whats the outlook like/
This wiggle link seems to delay by 24hours? Is this the right lat long for Soll 12/47?
http://www.wzkarten.de/pics/MS_1247_ens.png
BTW nozawaonsen great weather commentary I hang on your every update, just keep the Austrian views coming too (as you have been)!!
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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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to my very amateur eye looking at the wigglies across the alps for Engelberg, Stuben, Morzine it looks like staying warmer than average until at least the 15th Feb...with a very warm period over the weekend, before 'cooling' down a bit, but still staying above average for the time of the year
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[quote="T Bar"]
| davidof wrote: |
I was in Tignes in '90 in January and am in Val d'Isere now and there is no comparison in the conditions, even without the snow making they are far better now than they were then. |
Your point being?
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You know it makes sense.
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| kitenski wrote: |
| to my very amateur eye looking at the wigglies across the alps for Engelberg, Stuben, Morzine it looks like staying warmer than average until at least the 15th Feb...with a very warm period over the weekend, before 'cooling' down a bit, but still staying above average for the time of the year |
Im now even more depressed than earlier... 
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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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... mmm ... splash and dash to Innsbruck Friday to Sunday - I may have judged it just right for some warm and sunny boarding 
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Poster: A snowHead
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RetroBod, just insert wetterzentrale into the address in place of wzkarten. And yes that is for across the Alps, a warm weekend followed by milder than average temperatures gently trending back towards (though not quite reaching) seasonal averages. Sunshine, cold beer etc etc...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
BTW nozawaonsen great weather commentary I hang on your every update, just keep the Austrian views coming too (as you have been)!!
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I agree, but I almost wish I hadn't discovered it. I have been coming on here 3 times a day for 4 weeks now and all I have received a bad news followed by faint hope that is quickly dashed by more bad news. I would have been better just looking a few days before I went but now I have stsarted I cant stop.
Going out next tuesday, now I am praying is doesnt get too hot, I have totally given up on hoping for snow. 
Oh well, its inevitable that there is going to be a crap year every now and then. Just a shame I cant go later in the year when it snows again.
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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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with regards to predicting weather, the models seem to be better at predicting no snow than snow, with regards to temperatures they seem to be more reliable,but i,m guessing its easier to predict that as it is more a trend,as opposed to a actual happening like snow, so i guess what i,m saying is THEY KEEP RAISING MY HOPES THEN DASHING THEM  i,m going to VALDISERE 19th feb and i,m officially going offline( NO WEBCAMS NO VALDISERE SITE,S NO WEATHER SITES NOTHING) from now until the monday before i go,as all it seams to do is kiss me off, and my wife,s fed up with me now,"nothing i can do she says" and to be frank i agree with her now,so happy predicting and in the words of SIR STEVE REDGRAVE "IF anybody hears from me on this this website you have permission to throw a snowball at me "!!! happy watching
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| Quote: |
with regards to predicting weather, the models seem to be better at predicting no snow than snow, with regards to temperatures they seem to be more reliable,but i,m guessing its easier to predict that as it is more a trend,as opposed to a actual happening like snow, so i guess what i,m saying is THEY KEEP RAISING MY HOPES THEN DASHING THEM i,m going to VALDISERE 19th feb and i,m officially going offline( NO WEBCAMS NO VALDISERE SITE,S NO WEATHER SITES NOTHING) from now until the monday before i go,as all it seams to do is kiss me off, and my wife,s fed up with me now,"nothing i can do she says" and to be frank i agree with her now,so happy predicting and in the words of SIR STEVE REDGRAVE "IF anybody hears from me on this this website you have permission to throw a snowball at me "!!! happy watching
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See you at midday after the next run 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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Sorry phillip33 but let's be clear you're having a hissy fit about the "VALDISERE" (ooops, now why am I shouting!) not some low level slush fest resort with the same name? This being the Val d'Isere that's linked into some of the highest slopes in Europe including 2 GLACIERS (oops shouting) so about as snow sure as they come - what are you looking for exactly a sprinkling of magic fairy dust on top of those snow sure slopes or something 
Seriously please get a grip, it's high there's snow and there loads of sliding - perhaps not quite as much snow as you'd like but you have almost 3 weeks until you go, plently of time for forecast models to chop and change and then change again.
Oh, an overnight sprinkling of snow at Cairngorm this morning and the forecast winds seem to have moderated ... a bit - all part of see sawing weather models I suspect though!
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Indeed.
Just to reiterate anything beyond seven days treat with great caution!
Now... Sun... Shades...
Short Skirt Weather forecast?
A Dutch company incidentally...
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Current long term model output is not conducive to large amounts of precipitation in the French alps over the next couple of weeks. The polar vortex becomes established to the north west of the British Isles, encouraging high pressure to build over central and southern Europe. This kind of pattern tends to persist for long periods of time. The 06z GFS run shows some potential for day 10+, but this is quickly squashed as the pattern re-establishes itself.
On current output, it could well be a very dry and warm February.
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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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Do you reckon these people http://www.accuweather.com/en-gb/fr/rhône-alpes/val-d'isere/forecast2.aspx got it wrong then? They suggest warmish and wet (mixed rain and snow from 10th onward).
Edit: Hmm- the whole address doesn't seem to have come out - copy and paste the whole address or go to http://www.accuweather.com/default.aspx and put in location (eg Val d'Isere) then click on Next Week.
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Val d'Isere is right on the border line with Italy and can get some weather systems tracking eastwards where there are low pressures over the Med. That snow frequently doesn't make it very far into the French Alpes. Montgenvre, Serre Chevalier and Puy St Vincent also pick up this snow and normally to a great extent.
Still it was all here on PisteHors, would have saved you guys 45 pages of GFS runs:-
| Quote: |
Posted: 17 October 2010 01:12 PM
So after two reasonable seasons that reads “snow drought” to me, with maybe better conditions in the Southern Alps / Pyrenees and close to the border with Italy where you can get some precipitation blown up from depressions that traverse Mediterranean.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Looks like Igluski are showing extreme pessimism on the snow front - none until Jan 2012 and never again in St Anton (I'm crying inside mind....). Well well.... It really is looking like one p*ss-poor season to say the least...
http://www.igluski.com/snow-forecast
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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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| snowball wrote: |
Do you reckon these people http://www.accuweather.com/en-gb/fr/rhône-alpes/val-d'isere/forecast2.aspx got it wrong then? They suggest warmish and wet (mixed rain and snow from 10th onward).
Edit: Hmm- the whole address doesn't seem to have come out - copy and paste the whole address or go to http://www.accuweather.com/default.aspx and put in location (eg Val d'Isere) then click on Next Week. |
Further to davidof's post, I'm pretty sure Accuweather forecasts are automatically generated from the latest GFS run. After 192 hours the grid resolution of this model gets much coarser which does some interesting things to the precipitation data (and precipitation data beyond a couple of days is largely useless). While pressure is high over central Europe, most of the alps will remain dry.
Right now, with the current model output and teleconnections, I'd look to last week of Feb/first of March for anything significant. That can change pretty quickly though.
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I should also say that developments around the 8th of Feb have potential. On the GFS and ECMWF outputs, an intense cyclone starts to develop in the Atlantic and the high pressure over Europe starts to shift eastwards. The GFS eventually rebuilds heights from the south, but this is worth watching.
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You know it makes sense.
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| davidof wrote: |
Val d'Isere is right on the border line with Italy and can get some weather systems tracking eastwards where there are low pressures over the Med. That snow frequently doesn't make it very far into the French Alpes. Montgenvre, Serre Chevalier and Puy St Vincent also pick up this snow and normally to a great extent.
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I'm going to La Grave on the 12th so suits me.
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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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Nothing will be changing from the current drought until the Jet Stream moves south.
Tignes and Val d'Isere pistes have been in great condition for the past two weeks thanks to cannons and snow mining. If going to VdI I wouldn't worry too much, even with the predicted heatwave for this weekend.
Skiing in tee shirts?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| JezC wrote: |
Looks like Igluski are showing extreme pessimism on the snow front - none until Jan 2012 and never again in St Anton (I'm crying inside mind....). Well well.... It really is looking like one p*ss-poor season to say the least...
http://www.igluski.com/snow-forecast |
Can't really agree with that in our neck of the woods - we've just had a fantastic week of powder in the Ski Amade region.
December was excellent too! A slight hiccup with the warmth at the beginning of January, but no more than any other winter. Plenty more snow in the offing as far as I can see, as we are only about a third of the way through the season.
I realise that for those of you with only a single week out here it is tough, but to right off a whole season because one particular period is poor, seems a tad excessive. Sorry, but you just drew the short straw - it happens sometimes.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi All
If it is any consolation to you I've just returned from a week in Les Menuires. The weather was cold and sunny all week and the on piste snow was in good condition. Sure there are the odd icy patches in areas of heavy traffic / steepness but the conditions were in no way a disaster. The resort is doing an absolutely cracking job at keeping the slopes in good condition (working all night in shifts moving the cultured snow they had made on to the pistes (I can not praise the pistuers highly enough for the work they were doing). So all of you due to travel to the Tarantaise resorts will have a great time I'm sure. I know we would all like some new snow but in the meantime there is plenty of the white stuff to be having fun on. Back to the Alps in March - can't wait.
Griggs
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Weathercam,
Cheers uri! Bend many spoons lately - and how's Michael..... oh no wait
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Like it Weathercam. 
I hear what you're saying but surely we just love having a moan. It's all part of the fun ?
Que sera sera but yeah, why not give collective willing a go.. Concentrate... "Nnnnnn move south high pressure, move south.. Nnnnn"
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| JezC wrote: |
Oh absolutely. If only I could spend a whole season in a ski resort. Regretably, some of us have to... you know.. work for a living. That sort of thing... Limited to 25 days holiday, other commitments etc...
But thanks for the sympathy....
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I think you may be jumping to unjustified conclusions. People who live in snowy parts have to - y'know - 'work', too.
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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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[quote="davidof"]
| T Bar wrote: |
| davidof wrote: |
I was in Tignes in '90 in January and am in Val d'Isere now and there is no comparison in the conditions, even without the snow making they are far better now than they were then. |
Your point being? |
Just comparing it with the conditions a generation ago, doesn't seem as bad to me as it was then.
Not disagreeing, just comparing.
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JezC, your first comment - absolute tosh - try reading the thread properly!
| Samerberg Sue wrote: |
| I realise that for those of you with only a single week out here it is tough, but to right off a whole season because one particular period is poor, seems a tad excessive. Sorry, but you just drew the short straw - it happens sometimes. |
Spot on!
| JezC wrote: |
Oh absolutely. If only I could spend a whole season in a ski resort. Regretably, some of us have to... you know.. work for a living. That sort of thing... Limited to 25 days holiday, other commitments etc...
But thanks for the sympathy.... |
Sarcasm apart there's no sympathy from me with that kinda attitude dude - get real, mountains have weather and weather can sometimes be sh*te or less good and no amount of stamping of feet and hissy fits is gonna change that. Conditions at the moment aren't a write off particularly north and east and high up in France is fine - you can't say a whole season is a write off and get away with it just because conditions aren't quite how you want them for one week in one small part of the western Alps.
So to sum up it's a good/great season high up all over, it's a great season in North America, it's a great season in Austria and the east, I hear it's great in the Dolomites, it's been very good so far in Scotland (snows been falling today) and last I heard it was great in Northern Europe but some lower levels in France and Switzerland 'aint so good - if that's a bad season or a write off I'm actually quite happy with it!
| Quote: |
As for drawing the short straw, I'd say a day or two of snow in January preceded by a day or 2 in December (seems to be the norm across the French and Swiss alps) counts as pretty shyte in terms of what one might call reasonable expectations of precipitation non ? I just pray that the pisters in AdH take enormous pride in their job - it's all I've got left...  |
Not everywhere is the French and Swiss Alps ya?
What "reasonable expectations of precipitation", weather happens, especially mountain weather and that's it, what you gonna do sue the weather gods or just shout at the sky?
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