 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm hopeless at posting charts but beyond next week there seems to be something brewing (I think @nozawaonsen pointed to this a few pages ago) between 10-15 February ... and the temps seem to be favourable (I'm looking at the Tarentaise) for snow at lowish levels. February HT may be interesting ...
And let's all try and be a bit more civil and calm this weekend ...
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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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@franga, like this? (I prefer maps to graphs but the maps are based on the graphs)
Must be said that ECM show no sign of this with the weather systems passing to the north of the alps. It is a long way away too so dont get your hopes up just based on this.
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Wow, I feel like I had an early night then got woken up at 4 AM by the drunken shouting
| altaski8 wrote: |
People form the UK really seem to like Skiwelt Wilder Kaiser. And I've been there many times, so I can say with confidence that the area is undeniably mediocre. That to me explains how so many on this forum can be content with a winter like this. |
Surprisingly enough I meet skiers from the UK in all kinds of resorts right across the alps. Some are getting at it off piste and some are enjoying gentle piste runs. I imagine most in this thread are accomplished skiers with varying tastes. You imply that they have unsophisticated tastes which makes them content with a Winter like this. A little patronising I think and a massive over-generalisation.
I think in fact the people you describe as content have come to a mature realisation that you would do well to arrive at also - skiing, at all, is fun. It doesn't have to be perfect powder all the time. Pistes and sun are good too.
I think you need a few more days with those "European" long lunches and a glass or two of wine you mentioned a few pages back Alta. You'd enjoy it!
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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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Tues/Weds dump down to the valley floor. Sun and fantastic conditions from Thursday through the weekend and then more snow. 46/7 Cham / PdS / Verbier
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Sat 1-02-20 14:29; edited 1 time in total
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@franga, yeah I think the best I’d say is that there are suggestions of it becoming a bit more “unsettled” at that stage. See the chart below for Chamonix.
This is really just underlining the earlier point that as high pressure tries to build and the jet roars in we may not have strong settled weather like we did earlier in January. Temperatures could play ball or might not. In some ways settled sunny weather might actually be more pleasant.
Meanwhile later this week from Tuesday is shaping up nicely. Cold snow followed by sunshine.
Tomorrow still has the feel to me of a day when marking out your bar stool early might have benefits. If you can get one within reach of the bar and sight of the telly you’ll thank yourself later. Just try not to get all drunk and fighty. You end up looking silly.
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The way I see it, bob and altaski are both talking about different, localised situations. Bob is talking about Verbier and altaski, Kaiser Wilder Whatever.
Both are at opposite extremes of altitude, so in a way, they're both right.
I speak only for where I ski, which is PDS, a fairly mid altitude area with a lot of precipitation. Sorry I don't have meteorological experience so maybe I don't qualify for the heady heights of this forum, but I do ski there, a lot.
I'm local(ish) with a limited amount of freedom to ski when I want, which is different from a holiday skier, who gets a snapshot of the season and draws conclusions from there.
What some people (White gold, whilst he's on the vinegar strokes in front of his internet screen) apparently fails to realise, is that skiing quality is more complicated than mere snow depth. This season has been strange. There hasn't been much snow and what has fallen hasn't gone much below 1500m, which is a more typical alpine altitude (at least in France) than both bob and alta are "discussing". However, at 12-1500m the snow and rain have fallen timely to build a pretty good base early in the season.
Another nuance is that some people ski off piste and many don't. Piste skiing so far this year in the PDS has been great. On piste, it doesn't really matter if there's 20cm beneath your feet or 200cm, as long as the base and the top 5cm are good. In addition it's been sunny.
I've had a couple of excellent off piste days, being in the right place at the right time, but apart from that, the off piste has been fair-poor The same goes for piste and off piste in low lying resorts which top out at 1500m (though I had a good report a few days ago from a tourer in Paccots, which is exactly that).
Anyway, it's going to rain heavily in PDS both today and tomorrow, so I'll be watching the rugby and procrastinating cleaning out the cellar until Tues/wed, which looks like a decent top up, from gfs.
We're about 1/3 way through the season (in PDS). It's a bit too early to write it off even where it's been bad and so far, where I'm from, it's been pretty good. YMMV.
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Blimey I hope last night was fuelled by a glass or two and folk are feeling a bit embarrassed this morning!
So far for this "dreadful" season I've had a very enjoyable 3 days skiing on piste around the Arlberg prior to Xmas, in mild, sunny weather with good enough snow, and a fantastic weekend touring and skiing 25cm fresh in Courchevel mid Jan.
Certainly not dreadful, definitely not the worst season I've ever seen and plenty of time left for more snow/sun/mild spells/cold spells as we get every year.
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@BobinCH, looks nice.
Out in the distance 06z GFS continues to suggest some interesting options around 10 February.
Obviously too far out to take seriously and ECM is currently nowhere near, but GFS starting to build up some momentum around a short snowy incursion.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well so far I have had a brilliant season. Most of my clients have had lovely weeks and unlike parts of Austria, clearly, Chamonix is not in any sense “mediocre”.
We even had some nice transformed winter snow last Monday.
But if you are choosing not to enjoy it, that is not my problem.
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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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@BobinCH, looks dreadful, wet soggy, melting snow pouring off the hill as it "boils" and not fun at all 
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@BobinCH, looks great, loved the bit where you slow-mo'd the jump and big woo-hoo as you skied past your mates!! 
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You know it makes sense.
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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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The GFS and ECM continue to look active in the long-range as others have mentioned. If the 300mb jet digs far enough southwest, the southern Alps might get in on the precipitation action. As currently modeled it looks to continue favoring the NW Alps. Temps look warm overall, but certainly not boiling.
The rain and high mountain snows this weekend will hopefully settle the slopes somewhat and set the stage for great conditions mid/late next week in the lower density snow.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| 8611 wrote: |
Wow, I feel like I had an early night then got woken up at 4 AM by the drunken shouting
| altaski8 wrote: |
People form the UK really seem to like Skiwelt Wilder Kaiser. And I've been there many times, so I can say with confidence that the area is undeniably mediocre. That to me explains how so many on this forum can be content with a winter like this. |
Surprisingly enough I meet skiers from the UK in all kinds of resorts right across the alps. Some are getting at it off piste and some are enjoying gentle piste runs. I imagine most in this thread are accomplished skiers with varying tastes. You imply that they have unsophisticated tastes which makes them content with a Winter like this. A little patronising I think and a massive over-generalisation.
I think in fact the people you describe as content have come to a mature realisation that you would do well to arrive at also - skiing, at all, is fun. It doesn't have to be perfect powder all the time. Pistes and sun are good too.
I think you need a few more days with those "European" long lunches and a glass or two of wine you mentioned a few pages back Alta. You'd enjoy it! |
Of course it's a generalization. People are endlessly unique.
But you have to admit, British skiers are ripe for generalization. They disproportionately book ski holidays through tour operators/agents and congregate in high numbers at certain well-known resorts. They also disproportionately prefer intermediate, well groomed slopes. There is an undeniable herd mentality, which accords with human nature, but also reflects well on those who choose their own path.
Being in the mountains is always fun. And skiing is almost always fun, but also expensive unless you have the time to tour. For me - and doubtless others - skiing is most fun when you can get away from the crowds in the side-country/off-piste. And this winter, timing the weather for good and safe off-piste conditions in the northern Alps has been challenging. Pointing this out does not mean that I don't think skiing is fun or that I'm insisting all is gloom and doom.
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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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If that's true it's because there's no skiing in the uk out of scotland, and that is limited enough. So traditionally you had to fly to a foreign resort and traditionally that was done through a travel agent. Which led to people just going to the "big" resorts offered by travel agents and led to them becoming "big" in uk skiers consciousness. Incidently, they tend to be the resorts I hear the most american voices in too - arlberg, chamonix, zermatt.
DIY is more of a recent phenomena, and probably more visited by younger generation. I suspect the average age of posters on snow heads is over 40 so what you're reading here is a little skewed.
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Anyway - why are we even talking about this. Tell me about my own, non uk skiing DIY prospects, to any resort in the Alps next fri to sun.
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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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@altaski8, can I just in a friendly way suggest you steer clear of making crass generalisations about different nationalities on here? It just looks like your spoiling for a fight. Which would be really dull.
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@nozawaonsen, oi! I’ve just opened my popcorn!
@altaski8, “British skiers are ripe for generalization” just like the Dutch, Swedes, Yanks, Canadians, Russians, etc., etc., ad naus.
You are choosing to define your own prejudice, which, in my experience, is not really true at all.
Can we go back to fantasizing about the weather please? Thanks!
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| under a new name wrote: |
@nozawaonsen, oi! I’ve just opened my popcorn!
@altaski8, “British skiers are ripe for generalization” just like the Dutch, Swedes, Yanks, Canadians, Russians, etc., etc., ad naus.
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Russian, American, French people, yes. But less so skiers from those countries.
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@altaski8, please if you want to start a different thread making tiresome comments about different nationalities by all means do, but just stop on this thread.
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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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| nozawaonsen wrote: |
| @altaski8, please if you want to start a different thread making tiresome comments about different nationalities by all means do, but just stop on this thread. |
You are talking to the wrong person. I have made more weather related posts over the last week than all but one or two posters. If people stop directing non-weather related posts to me, I will stop responding. Pretty simple.
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@nozawaonsen,
+1. See my post above. At risk of feeding the troll...can he just shut the f up.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@nozawaonsen, must have skin thicker than a rhino’s back bottom...
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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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| Perty wrote: |
@nozawaonsen,
+1. See my post above. At risk of feeding the troll...can he just shut the f up. |
| BobinCH wrote: |
| @nozawaonsen, must have skin thicker than a rhino’s back bottom... |
Posts like these are the problem. They add absolutely nothing and do not respond to anything or anyone. They merely serve to instigate and should be removed by a moderator.
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He’s a troll folks...forget it. Here to a good schuss and a frosty brew. 7c in martigny today.....not good. Beer colder...good.
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You know it makes sense.
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A little worried about what damage a day's rain at 8C can do to snow, which is the current forecast for tomorrow in the area I'm going next weekend. But looks like it's going to be one day of rain only, with temps dropping again Tuesday.
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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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| J2R wrote: |
| A little worried about what damage a day's rain at 8C can do to snow, which is the current forecast for tomorrow in the area I'm going next weekend. But looks like it's going to be one day of rain only, with temps dropping again Tuesday. |
I think Tuesday and Wednesday will make up for the rain anywhere in the northern Alps. Right now the weekend looks pretty good, especially if you'll be mostly above 2000m. If you're a piste-only skier, hopefully wherever you're going they groom early in the morning (not just in the afternoon) to soften any crust that forms. Quality of grooming is probably more important than off-trail snow depth.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@J2R, not a lot of damage, typically. As long as there’s enough snow to begin with.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| altaski8 wrote: |
| Perty wrote: |
@nozawaonsen,
+1. See my post above. At risk of feeding the troll...can he just shut the f up. |
| BobinCH wrote: |
| @nozawaonsen, must have skin thicker than a rhino’s back bottom... |
Posts like these are the problem. They add absolutely nothing and do not respond to anything or anyone. They merely serve to instigate and should be removed by a moderator. |
Or alternatively you are the problem, your comments are almost universally not welcome. The solution shouldn’t be that hard for you to work out.
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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 don't post here often because I do not consider myself to be an expert (despite having studied meteorology but with a maritime slant) but I do visit as I think there are some knowledgeable snow forecasters on the forum. I was hoping that after last night that would be it but it has kicked off again today. So, Ladies and Gents, please time out, we are all adults and we all have opinions which we are entitled to. What we should also be entitled to is respect for those opinions (in my humble opinion  ) Lets park the animosity, there's enough of it in this world, and get back to the weather and the fantasy we all like to engage in persuading ourselves that the conditions are going to be perfect for our slice of this great sport, be it on or off piste, Diy or Package, 1 week or all season, long lunch or short etc. etc.
With my limited knowledge I think things do indeed look good this coming mid week, all the squiggles seem to agree, I don't venture further than 3 to 4 days out as countless years of weather watching for both career but also leisure pursuits have shown that its pretty much guess work after that.
Have a great day y'all 
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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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Then far out in FI would do this for Valentine’s Day (note FI).
But again another suggestion that we are not necessarily making a return to the mild and dry weather from earlier in January.
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And any ideas on that most important of Alpine* forecasts..........
What will be the situation in most French Alpine resorts around this time tomorrow
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@altaski8, give it a rest, talk about the weather please.
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| altaski8 wrote: |
| nozawaonsen wrote: |
| altaski8 wrote: |
| But then it's back to warm again. |
Erm... it will be nice and sunny after fresh snow. Surely you can squeeze a tiny bit of fun out of that? Surely? I mean if you can’t then. Well.
How much have you actually been out and about this season so far? Has it really been that miserable?
Because it comes down to this. Plenty of really good skiers on this forum have been out enjoying themselves so far this season. Look at the reports from people like @BobinCH, @clarky999, or @Weathercam. Now this is a tough season in terms of snowfall and temperatures, but somehow those looking to get in amongst it and enjoy have been able to do so over and again. So it’s there to be had. And I’ve been out there myself too and seen it for myself. Which leads me to the really rather inescapable conclusion that there is fun to be had, but perhaps some people don’t want to have fun. |
Yes this has been a really bad winter snow/ski season. 2nd worst of my life, behind only 2015/2016 in Vermont. There were some real stinkers back in the late 1980s, but I was happy to pizza my way down a sheet of ice back then. Any day out in the mountains is a privilege. And I don't blame anybody for taking that attitude. But some seasons are just worse than others. And this one is pretty bad. If you don't work for a living and you have the flexibility to chase snow and time the storms, maybe you can find some good snow up high in France. But most of the rest of us need a consistent week or two of real winter to get out and enjoy it. And up until now, and for the foreseeable, that is not what we're getting.
People form the UK really seem to like Skiwelt Wilder Kaiser. And I've been there many times, so I can say with confidence that the area is undeniably mediocre. That to me explains how so many on this forum can be content with a winter like this. |
I don't think the weather cares whether you are content or not. So you may as well get out and enjoy what's there, for all the good complaining about it will do.
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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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Heres’s the outlook from SLF (for Switzerland).
”Weather forecast through Sunday, 02.02.2020
During the nocturnal hours in the northern regions and in the Valais, a small amount of precipitation is expected. The snowfall level will descend to 1600 m. Following a brief pause, precipitation will again set in during the daytime, also intensively from region to region. The distribution of precipitation will vary greatly even over small areas. The snowfall level is expected to ascend to approximately 2200 m in the western regions, to 2000 m in the eastern regions. In the furthermost southern regions it will remain dry and be partly sunny during the daytime.
Fresh snow
Between Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon above approximately 2200 m:
furthermost western part of Lower Valais, regions north of an imaginary Rhine-Rhone line: 15 to 30 cm, as much as 40 cm from place to place;
remaining parts of Valais, Prättigau, Silvretta, Samnaun: 5 to 15 cm;
in the other regions of Switzerland, less;
in the furthermost south it will remain dry.
In the Jura region, 5 to 15 mm of rainfall is anticipated.
Temperature
At midday at 2000 m, +4 °C.
Wind
In the northern regions and generally at high altitudes, strong to storm-strength winds will be blowing from westerly directions.
Outlook through Tuesday, 04.02.2020
Monday
The precipitation will come to an end early Monday morning. During the daytime, increasingly frequent bright intervals are expected. In the southern regions is will be rather sunny. As a result of the persistently stormy westerly winds, it will remain mild.
The danger of wet-snow avalanches will decrease as the precipitation comes to an end. Gliding avalanches continue to be possible. The danger of dry-snow avalanches will diminish only incrementally.
Tuesday
On Tuesday in the northern regions and the Valais, snowfall is expected. The snowfall level will rapidly descend down to low lying areas. In the furthermost southern regions it will be quite sunny. As a result of ongoingly stormy westerly to northwesterly winds plus fresh snowfall, the danger of dry-snow avalanches is expected to increase during the course of the day. The avalanche situation in outlying terrain away from secured ski runs will remain critical over widespread areas for winter sports enthusiasts. In the furthermost southern regions, avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly.”
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FAQ
who study the charts.
)
