Austia = Snow: but why?

A snowHead

Hi to all. Interested to see the great snow falls in Austria this week and more to come. Why does Austria get this early snow (I recall they did last year too)? What is the scientific reason or is it pure chance?

A snowHead

Pure chance, really. The weather systems that deliver snow to the Alps etc have no guaranteed preferences.

The Spanish mountains - Sierra Nevada, and those above Madrid - have had heavy snow this week too.

Sometimes the snow whips up from the Mediterranean and puts lots down on northern Italy and southern Switzerland - that happened during October, but it's nearly all gone now.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Austria didn't get much early snow last year most of the snow and cold weather came after the 3rd week Jan 2005. When it did fall it fell heavy, the avalanche danger was not only in the resorts but driving between them. Austria in Oct 2002 and 2003 did see some good early snow as far as I can remember.

Quite often there's snow predicted for one country and it drops earlier or gets carried further. Austria is more land locked than other countries (Italy and France etc) so some times this works in it's favour. It's mostly the luck of the draw, Austria has just had more luck than usual in the last few years.

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DB, We could ski through the streets of Kitzbuhel last Christmas (well, the churchyard anyway). My unsubstantiated theory is that Austria's snow is more continental and comes down from Russia. Either way, be glad. Austria is the place to ski at Christmas. Another possibilty is that the snowgods are responding to reports that low resorts like Kitz are doomed because of global warming. There is more to it than height. snowHead

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

If you want a look at Austrian sits with snow try
www.tw1.at

You'll need to Register first of course.

So are any austria ski resorts opening early? I thought another thread on here had them delaying their opening?

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I thinks it's the French resorts that have delayed their opening. The Austrian glaciers are open, most Austrian resorts open end Nov early Dec.

Forecast is looking good ....
http://www.snow-forecast.com/maps/alps_3days.php