Pattern holding steady this evening. Continuing to suggest much milder and sunnier conditions in just over a week. A fair amount of snow between now and then, particularly at the end of the week. And maybe, some rather good conditions tomorrow. Cold and clearing up.
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?
Ffs this season just keeps on giving, and I keep on being unable to take!
Easter Sunday spread is 22 March to 25 April, with 07 April being the median.
Easter Sunday 2013 is 31 March. Nice and early.
Easter Sunday 2014 is... 20 April. Rather late...
Easter Sunday 2015 is 05 April. Ok.
Easter Sunday 2016 is 27 March. Reassuringly early.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
The chamonix GFS model is showing unsettleed and cool out till about the 25th April and then unsettled and warm. That sounds like a mix or snow and then rain.
Still two and a half weeks till I go there but I'm hoping for settled, hot and sunny
As far as lo res goes (up to +192), GFS is holding pretty firm with bands of snow crossing the Alps at altitude between now and next Tuesday. Wednesday sees a shift with much milder temperatures and clearer skies. After that is less clear, mild seems to be building a head if steam, but whether it will be clear or unsettled is still uncertain.
But lack of snow for those up high in the last week of April looks unlikely to be a problem.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
An excellent round up from SLF of this winter in Switzerland.
"The most recent winter was shaped by contrasts, from very little snowfall, icy temperatures and inaccessible valleys, to record quantities of snow, above-average temperatures, and exceptional gliding snow conditions. Fifteen people lost their lives in the Swiss Alps in avalanches." [SLF]
Interestingly overall snowfall for the season was around average. Concentrated in the heavy snow fall of December and January (producing record breaking depth in places) contrasted with the barren months of November, February and March. The report also flags up how these contrasts early season lead to the persistent problem of Gleitschneelawinen.
The figure for avalanche fatalities of 15 so far is below the long term seasonal average of 25 [the figures this season in Austria are I believe comparable with 17 fatalities so far and an average of 26].
A lot of snow due at altitude in the next week. Continuing to look much milder in a week's time and possibly sunnier.
After all it is free
After all it is free
nozawaonsen,
Quote:
Ricklovesthepowder, it's tricky. The weather in March was exceptionally mild and dry in Scotland. You can see how it compared to normal in this blog entry from the Met Office.
...
I think a Scottish apres thread may be in order! Single malt and a log fire being an excellent way to finish a day in the mountains in Scotland in many months. I'm rather partial to Bowmore as it happens not that you'll be up that way. Some colder temperatures looking possible in Scotland next week, not convinced it will bring enough snow to kick start things again...
I'm sorry to be so slow and late to be posting on this nice sub-thread!
Nozawaonsen: You are so right! I arrived back from a blissful week in 3V on 24th march sadly leave a sweltering Chambery only to find myself in Tshirt and shorts in a sweltering Angus at 24C next day! We then had a week of warm winds 20+ degree temperatures and the kitchen at work set out a barbeque on the grass doing burgers and hot dogs each day for lunch.
Ricklovesthepowder, I hope you enjoyed last week up here in Gods country, (personally I missed the 20+ degree temperatures!!) But for sure we have a pretty good white cover over the molehills to the north of here. On sunday I flew across the mountains over to Loch Muick and the cairngorm plateau looked to have a complete cover and down to low level. We even had complete cover over the fields and roads down here at 100M ASL over easter weekend.
But I couldn't resist your comment about the Scottish Apres thread NozawaO, As I sit in front of the usual log fire here (wood burning stoves X2 heat the house), I've had to go and get the bottle of Bowmore (bypassing the laphroig, the Jura, the Aberlour, the....), in celebration of another season of you faithfully interpreting the "runes" of GFS and ECMWF etal Thankyou! I salute you! Slange Var !!
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.
Ricklovesthepowder Did you manage to get any skiing in on your trip North, I had two great days at Cairngorm on Sunday and Monday. If not hope you manged at least one whisky tasting Slainte Mhath.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
Many parts of the Alps (and Scotland) are working up to a great finale for the season.
Snow pushing in from the west to add to that that fell overnight (webcams of Austria show blue skies over some rather wintery landscapes). Snow overnight looks like clearing through tomorrow west to east and by Saturday it could be crisp (cold in the morning) and clear. Saturday overnight into Sunday could bring further snowfall. And more still looks possible though less certain Tuesday/Wednesday. Warmer weather and sunshine, becoming more likely though still unsure from the middle of next week.
So plenty of time for partying yet.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Continues to build towards a stronginish with no suggestion of flagging before the finish line.
Ischgl, Val Thorens and Espace Killy all looki like good places to be in the coming week. Snow later today, clearing tomorrow before more snow pushes in Saturday into Sunday. Tuesday/Wednesday could see heavier snow still though above 1600 to 1800m as the cooler temperatures of the next few days give way to much milder weather possibly leaving the second half of next week mild and sunny.
Not a bad final act.
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.
I drove over the Jura mountains at lunchtime (just north of Lake Geneva) and it was dumping it down with huge flakes of snow above about 1000m.
Anyway, probably my last day skiing tomorrow of the season, it is amazing to be spoilt for choice of where to go at this time of the year.
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
Just amazing looking at the webcams. La Plagne/Les Arcs and EK are looking simply stunning! It looks more like mid-January than mid-to-late April.
Where you'd expect to see lots of green grass is snow, snow and more snow.
*sigh*
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
After quite a bit of sun earlier today, clouding over in the Alps and snow pushing across this evening.
Further substantial snow looks likely during Tuesday and overnight into Wednesday. From midweek though it looks likely there will be a substantial shift towards warmer and sunny weather.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
A week of contrasts coming up in the Alps.
Snow pushing through today and on Tuesday, a bit of a mix with cloud and sun tomorrow. But temperatures certainly on the cooler side by and large 5C below the average for the time of year.
But from midweek spring is back, with sunshine and warm temperatures...
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Interesting piece from UCAR on some of the challenging conditions in Colorado this season.
"If snow is the lifeblood of Colorado’s economy and ecology, then my home state is ready for a transfusion. March is normally the snowiest month of the year for much of the state, but March 2012 will go down as an epic snow fail...
... conditions across the Rockies have gone downhill fast, with a number of ski resorts planning to trim hours or shut down earlier than scheduled.
... For the first time in more than a century of weather records, both Denver and Boulder saw no measurable snow in March
... [at writing] snowpack moisture in Colorado is a paltry 51% of normal at the measurement sites in the western states’ SNOTEL network. The percentages aren’t much better to the west (51% in Utah, 53% in California) and they’re far worse to the south (25% in New Mexico, 15% in Arizona)." [UCAR]
The UCAR piece also flags a rather interesting piece from NOAA on the exceptional snow in Anchorage.
"As of April 1 we have received 129.4” of snow making it the second snowiest winter, and the season is not over yet [the record was in fact broken on 08 April]...
One of the unique aspects of this season’s snow is the amount that has fallen in conjunction with cooler temperatures. A general rule-of-thumb is that warm air, for example when the air temperature near the ground is in the 20’s to lower 30’s, is more favorable for the production of snow than colder temperatures...
It is apparent that the current snowy season has similar characteristics as previous big snow years; that is the most of the snow comes in small increments rather than in large doses, as seen in the relatively few number of events with 6” or more snowfall.
Astute readers will have noticed that three of the highest snowfall totals... have occurred in the last nine seasons. This begs the question whether we are experiencing an increase in snowfall or precipitation. There does not appear to be any trend in the data at this point but it’s worth monitoring closely.
The historical data indicates that there is no correlation between the occurrence of an El Nino or La Nina and the amount of snowfall in the greater Anchorage area." [NOAA]
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Was beautiful today in Cervinia. Driving up looked like it was in danger of whiting out but cloud broke above Plan Maison & it was a bulebird day with freshies to be had til 4.30. Why oh why does the ski season end when it keeps delivering like this?
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?
Here's a look from SLF at the short term development for Switzerland.
"Trend for Tuesday and Wednesday
On Tuesday, snowfall, which in some places will be heavy, is anticipated above approximately 1300 m. The southwesterly wind will continue to blow at strong velocity. The danger of dry avalanches is expected to increase. On Wednesday it will be quite sunny and gradually turn warmer. During the course of the day, the hazards of wet avalanches will increase. The danger of dry avalanches will diminish incrementally." [SLF]
Wednesday sunshine following Tuesday snow could make Wednesday a day to get up early.
And by the end of Wednesday it looks like being much warmer (10-15C warmer) and sunnier and staying that way for the rest of April.
Meteo France is suggesting 20-40cm of fresh snow heading for the Haute Tarentaise over next day.
Here's how LWD Tirol sees it arriving in Tirol.
And how SLF sees it pushing into Switzerland.
"Tuesday will be very cloudy with bright spells, in particular in the afternoon in Valais and the south. In the extreme west, on the main Alpine ridge from the Furka Pass to Lower Engadine and to the south, and in Upper Engadine, 30 to 40 cm of snow will fall; as much as 50 cm will fall in some localities. 20 to 30 cm of snow will fall on the rest of the northern Alpine ridge, on the main Alpine ridge in Valais, and in the rest of Grisons, and 10 to 20 cm will fall elsewhere. The snowfall level will be 1000 m in the north and 1400 m in the south. The wind direction will change from southerly to westerly. The wind will be strong at times. It will transport the fresh snow and, in some cases, old snow as well." [SLF]
Wednesday and Thursday currently look... largely sunny and becomming very mild.
Could be good.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Snow today.
Sun tomorrow.
Here's LWD on the Tirol.
"Mountain weather today: wintery. The peaks will be shrouded in cloud, snowfall widespread this morning from the west. The snowfall will be persistent and, on the Main Alpine Ridge and in the Dolomites, heavy. In the Northern Alps, up to 10 cm is expected; towards the Main Alpine Ridge and Southern Alps, as much as 30 cm; from place to place and between the deepest Ötztal and the Tauern, even 40 cm. Tonight, conditions will improve...
Short Term Development
Many avalanches are expected as of tomorrow due to rising temperatures." [LWD]
Expect sunshine and warmer weather, becoming very warm by the weekend.
15C warmer. That will feel hot.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
And make the most of the freshies in Scotland too. There's reasonably good cover even now but maybe another 30 cm or so to come for the Cairngorms over the next 3 days but that'll start taking some damage towards the end of the weekend.
All this Aviemore rain & sleet will fall as snow on the upper mountains of the East Highlands ...
The LWD Tirol blog (which I think has been excellent this season), flagging up the substantial increase in avalanche risk coming through this weekend as temperatures rise.
- A period of increased avalanche risk is imminent.
- Sharp increase in air temperature coming, with early summer like temperatures, hot in the valleys.
- Thursday and Friday will be warmer from one day to the next.
- Despite in many ways a stable snowpack, increasing risk of substantial wet snow avalanches and slab avalanches.
- Gleitschneelawinen are also likely to be a risk.
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.
Going out with a bang. Overnight snow across much of the Alps and bluebird conditions to enjoy it in today.
This will be the last morning like this (low level powder and blue sky) of the season.
Spring, even summer conditions are now racing towards the Alps so if you are out there enjoy it. If you aren't out there check out some web cams.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
nozawaonsen, Cheers for the weather and snow condition updates throughout the season, top effort. Season certainly ending well. I guess you'll be starting the 12/13 thread soon.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Hi
Thank you so much for your continued weather reports throughout the season. Invaluable source of information.
I'm heading out to Val Thorens this Saturday for four nights and am trying to get a handle on what the weather holds in store for us. There appears to be disagreement of the forecast from Sunday onwards. Please could you shed some light on what the forecast actually is - are we likely to see the sun at all or are we in for clouds and light snow as some suggest. Seems to be a fine line between the low over the UK and the high pressure area over Northern Italy if I read things correctly.
Cheers
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.
nozawaonsen, excellent work this season, really enjoyed reading the thread.
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
hammerite wrote:
nozawaonsen, excellent work this season, really enjoyed reading the thread.
+1
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
nozawaonsen, thanks for great reporting - terrific stuff. Hope you enjoy the summer.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
nozawaonsen, great stuff, thanks for all your balnced reports. Only a few months until we kick off again!!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Good work, noza.
It will be approaching +30c in Munich in the next few days.
The Alpine snow will melt fast.
Summer is here.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Griggs, I'd be surprised if you didn't see quite a bit of sun, but as you say there is low pressure sitting out to the west which means it could be a little unsettled from time to time. What you will have is some very warm temperatures, especially when the sun is shining. So shades and spring snow should be on the menu.
Some idle thoughts on winners and losers this season in terms of snowfall. Doesn't mean you couldn't have had a great time or that conditions may have been good or bad at a particular point.
Winners
Pacific North West (records broken in Alaska and Whistler)
Northern Alps (amazing December and January snowfalls, close to if not record breaking at times, poor March balanced by great April)
Japan
Losers
Southern Alps (in the shadow of the north)
Scotland (late spurt can't really make up for losing March)
SW US (record dry in places)
Eastern US (record heat in many places)
PS many thanks for the thanks! Will aim to wrap this up at the weekend then a Fruhling Pause...
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 25-04-12 23:01; edited 3 times in total
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?
Yippee, soon be able to get back to cycling up the hills!
Yet again it looks as though the UK is going to have some of the earliest and latest skiing in Europe
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Peter S, not sure that really stacks up. Scandinavia, the glaciers. You can still ski in Val d'Isere, Val Thorens, Ischgl and Obertauern I suspect others. There is currently plenty of snow in most of the Alps at altitude.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Tomorrow, saturday and sunday are looking potentially excellent on the upper runs at Cairngorm.
Noza, I was thinking of mainly non glacial skiing.
There has been a run of winters over the last 10 years when Scotland and even some of the club fields here in England have been first or amongst the first to offer lift served non glacial or non northern Scandinavian skiing . Some of those years they have closed later too and this year would seem to be one of them.
It seems remarkable to me in a country not endowed with high mountains or a reliably snowy climate. Its definately something we should clebrate and support
After all it is free
After all it is free
Peter S, maybe. But the point is there are glaciers in the Alps and because of this skiing early and late season tends to take place there because the conditions are better. If there were no glaciers then skiing in the non glacial Alpine areas would probably be extended. Certainly given the competition glacial areas provide there is little economic value in nearby non glacial areas trying to compete for the small market even when snow conditions are good early or late season.
Scotland is considerably further north than the Alps so at this time of year the average temperature at 850hpa tends to be 4-5C cooler. So if we end up with cooler than average temperatures it can easily bring snow to the Scottish mountains even though they are not terrifically high.
All of which doesn't diminish the fact that this weekend should see some good conditions in Scotland. It's just a bit apples and pears.
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.
This thread has close to 400,000 views. Good effort!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Peter S, I agree
Thing is a lot of the Alps will be closing soon, snow or no snow, and we may well therefore see Scotland still open (or at least Cairngorm) whilst lift served skiing is mainly happening in the rest of Europe at very high altitude or on parts of Scandinavia - certainly worth celebrating IMHO.
Anyway although getting a bit warmer this weekend into next week is looking potentially very good up at Cairngorm. There have been big falls over the last few days (snowing heavily for over 36 hours now) and the weekend promises sun and low winds, looking good!
It's also worth noting that the Cairngorm season this year has now outlasted last year (notwithstanding loosing the whole of March), they closed on the 25th of April last year.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
