 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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Yes it is raining in the alps at the moment - but untill the end of september you can't call anything - yes we've had a week of rain without much sun, but that isn't unseasonal, or even uncomon. sorry you just got unlucky.
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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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Forecast from Monday looks like back to normal. Before last week it was pretty as usual. Chatting to a guide friend last night he said it was like deepest winter above 3,000m.
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This has been a bit of a miserable week weather-wise (actually I would say it's the worst July week weather-wise I've experienced in 5 summers here) but other than that the summer has been pretty good. All forecasts seem to indicate a return to sunny and warm weather from tomorrow or the day after and - as Idris points out - it's only the 13th of July! There are still months of summer remaining. Part of the problem for you seems to be that the UK has apparently had some very nice weather recently… perhaps that is skewing your perception a bit? Or perhaps the weather really has been awful in Serre for a whole month…
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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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Sounds like we've been remarkably lucky then. I won't bore you with all my photos, but we've certainly had more than one good week this summer.
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Not a great week here, have had friends staying and it wasn't until yesterday they believed me when I have said how hot Switzerland is in the summer. All sunny from Tuesday. 
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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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We went out to Les Gets on the 23rd June and had friends staying for the first six days and it was lovely and sunny, just T shirts and hats when walking and then the following week, 30th onwards it was ok, bit duller at times so we were a bit careful about when we were out and also not getting stuck up somewhere when the lifts close and we had some rather good thunder storms later afternoon that week. And it was not really till the evening of 6th July that it fell apart a bit, fine all that day and then the rain started and it didn't really stop until we were leaving on the 10th, and believe it has carried on since then. It was only 4C that morning when we left at 9 a.m. But we didn't light a fire or put any heating on at all. Certainly I was glad I was in my own chalet, not using up valuable holiday leave and with plenty of things to get on with. We have now got guests staying for then next five weeks or so - fingers crossed it bucks up for them.
We have certainly experienced wet and cold weather in the summer in the past, but it can change from day to day very quickly.
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Fairly typical summer here. We've just had a pretty long cooler/rainy period (with patches of hot sun for a few hours thrown in), but before that we had a long hot dry period, and probably will again soon. Normal mountain weather, really. Last night was the Wetterleuchten festival (big electro rave up on Nordkette) and it was warm with a little rain. Last year was v cold but clear; the previous five it snowed!
The one thing that we haven't had so much of is the normal pattern of hot days with an hour of rain at around 5pm.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Pamski wrote: |
| it was not really till the evening of 6th July that it fell apart a bit |
yes, here too. Yesterday was the real wash out day so, while I've noticed how much easier I find hiking/cycling in the cool and damp weather than the heat, I wimped out and treated myself to an entire day curled up on the sofa with a good book (When Snow Falls on Cedars as recommended by Samerberg Sue on here ages back and it's taken me until now to get round to reading… great recommendation Sue). However, it's been dry today, there's a patch of blue sky overhead, and I can see and hear from my window how much water is rushing through the waterfall at the moment thanks to the rain of the last week, so I'm off out to enjoy it - every cloud and all that
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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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Mid Aug 2006 was so cold in Tignes they were having to warm the vins rouge up at the Fete du Vins so they could taste them!
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miranda, Glad you got round to it eventually! I've read all David Guterson's published books and that one is still my favourite.
Weatherwise here in the Chiemgau it is pretty well a standard summer - sometimes warm, sometimes wet sometimes both! Having lived here for quite a while (nearly 20 years now) can't say I've noticed much change à la Weathercam's observations. Perhaps those of us not restricted to a week or two here and then are not so sensitive to variations as they are perfectly normal in mountainous areas. 
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You know it makes sense.
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Samerberg Sue,
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Perhaps those of us not restricted to a week or two here and then
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I wouldn't mind betting Weathercam takes you up on that.
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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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Samerberg Sue, I've spent a couple of weeks (not fortunate to spend any longer quite yet ) in Monetier-les-Bains every summer for the past 8 years. We've had sun, rain, hail and yes, snow on the peaks. It is unusual to get two weeks of warm unbroken sunshine, but not unheard of. I wouldn't dream of not having warm clothing with me, and I suspect many of the visitors are just as well prepared. We are at 1500m in the mountains, so yes, anything can happen. I've sat in beautiful warm sunshine in November then woke the following morning to 10cm of snow on the garden. Perhaps this is the first summer that Weathercam has been able to stay out for longer than a week or two. Weathercam, when there are two or three TDF stages they moan about being shut in.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Weather's been ok around Grenoble, a heatwave at the start of June, last week has seen a few cold, rainy days. The summer 3 years ago (I think) was terrible, didn't get to our local open air pool once.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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 - oh dear. We are heading for Morzine in a couple of weeks for a long-awaited two weeks. Hope it picks up - we've had some fantastic summer weather in the PdS and GM areas over the past few years
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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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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| I wouldn't dream of not having warm clothing with me, and I suspect many of the visitors are just as well prepared. |
Yes, I learnt my lesson big time the first summer I spent in the Alps. I had to go to for work and, at that stage, the mountains for me were all about the skiing and definitely NOT about the summer (and to be honest Gstaad can be a pretty boring place for a big city-dwelling twenty something). So I'd put no effort into researching what it was like in the mountains in the summer due to my lack of enthusiasm and paid the price… literally. First 3 weeks (late July into August I think) were 30+ degrees every day and I'd just packed for a bog standard, middle of the road British summer. So inevitably had to go and buy a lot of overpriced summer clothing that I didn't really like in Gstaad. Then, of course, the temperatures plummeted and there was snow on top of the hills… so I had to go and buy a lot of overpriced winter clothing that I didn't really like.  It worked out ok as I just left all those clothes in Gstaad as I had to go back there winter and summer for the next few years, so didn't get caught out again.
I really love summer in the Alps now (as much as I love the winter  ). Of particular benefit for an - ahem - delicate 'English Rose' like me is that, no matter how hot it gets in the daytime, the temperature always drops at night and there are no mosquitos, so you can sleep with the window open if you need/want to. Plus there's just so much to do. I'm probably going to visit a friend in Gstaad for two days in August… I wonder if I'll view the place with new eyes now I love summer in the Alps so much.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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davidof, we were in Serre Che with my parents three years ago. Weather was OK, but not wonderful, we didn't use the pool that much (although hubby went every morning to escape the in-laws) and had a couple of days of torrential rain and even snow. It was the year the Tour stage was heading up to finish at the top of Galibier and there was snow there a couple of days before. An Australian staying in another apartment had to be rescued from the Izoard and the annual sky race was almost cancelled.
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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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Montana, "in a couple of weeks"? You can forecast that far ahead? You must be able to make millions.
I imagine tonight's rain will have dried by then...
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under a new name, I didn't forecast anything. I said we were going in a couple of weeks and hoped it would pick up. Not sure why the sarcasm 
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| davidof, we were in Serre Che with my parents three years ago. Weather was OK, but not wonderful, |
yes that's the one, incidentially it was the last time a Frenchman was in the yellow jersey, so I blame the French !
I think the average local's memory is about a week; probably too much genepi.
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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: |
I've spent a couple of weeks (not fortunate to spend any longer quite yet ) in Monetier-les-Bains every summer for the past 8 years. We've had sun, rain, hail and yes, snow on the peaks. It is unusual to get two weeks of warm unbroken sunshine, but not unheard of. I wouldn't dream of not having warm clothing with me, and I suspect many of the visitors are just as well prepared. We are at 1500m in the mountains, so yes, anything can happen.
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that mirrors my experience of a good many summer weeks in the northern French Alps every year since 2003. I also echo miranda's enjoyment of cool nights and no bitey things. I've just come back from 5 days in Cornwall and my legs are covered in itchy bites, some mozzies, some horseflies.
I spent 7 - 17 June in the alps and had glorious weather, practically throughout. It's the luck of the draw.
But yes, this is a fantastic summer so far in the south of the UK. 
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davidof, genepi never affects my
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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KenX,
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davidof, I think Voeckler was in yellow when the stage passed through, but it was won by Andy Schleck (stage not race).
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You know it makes sense.
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It's waiting till we get there mid-August for the sun to come out
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+1
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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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Folks are pretty gloomy about the weather up here in Monta Rosa exceptionally wet for the last month.
On the plus side guys were skiing down from huts above 3000m on fresh powder last week, bit sketchy now since the clouds have been down to that level most of the week
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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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Weathercam I find your comment on 'couch potatoes' to be rather offensive to my friends on here.
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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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Weathercam, your own achievements do not necessarily mean that everyone on here is a couch potato. This isn't a competition or pro sports forum.
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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, what have your sporting achievements got to do with the weather? 
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Hells Bells, just that you post an innocuous thread and it all goes "bitchy" it seems - and so I then question whether some of the people on here ever get out and do "stuff" on a daily basis as most of the people I socialise with are all like minded.................
A two hour walk is a little different to a six hour hike/climb that's all, and believe me I'd really relish some chill out time in the hot sun.
So I take it you will not be entering this challenge
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Weathercam, not entering that challenge does not make either me or anyone else on here a couch potato.
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Pedantica, c'mon thought you'd be more aware of weather / sport etc - if conditions are crap then it has a tendency to affect what you're trying to achieve, and that's not just racing up a mountain but can be a family (like what I saw) today trying to go for a randonnee - I know I'm out on a limb on this one as most will not understand
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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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Hells Bells, think this is the subject of another thread - if you're planning on doing a big day, whatever be it hiking or cycling then weather (especially in the mountains) is all important, driving from one place to another is irrelevant
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Weathercam, just like you I have commented on the situation as I have seen it over several years and agreed/disagreed with other posters. No bitchiness from me that I can see. My only reply to you was in response to your couch potato post.
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FAQ
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A few years ago, the weather was so cold & horrible we had to raid the cave for our ski thermals. Then we headed South to visit the daughter in Montpellier when we could no longer put up with the rain. It's the mountains - weather varies, but I suspect our expectation for decent holiday weather clouds our common sense sometimes 
