 Poster: A snowHead
|
| denfinella wrote: |
After browsing the precipitation radars this morning:
Snow overnight in the western Alps was a bit hit and miss. Lots of places with a few centimetres of fresh but looks like the main beneficiaries were fairly localised parts of the Belledonne, Maurienne and northern Valais.
Further east Davos, St Moritz and many parts of the Austrian Alps look to have done well more widely.
(More incoming for many parts today!) |
Most snow reports from ski reports and corroborated by resort threads here is pretty much 25cm across board in France, more like 15cm at 1800m and less below that. Doesn't really seem hit and miss at all
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
SLF observed weather for Switzerland.
“Observed weather review Monday, 09.01.2023
During the night, snow fell over a wide area. After a break in the precipitation with some bright intervals, snowfall recommenced from the west towards midday. During the day the south was partly sunny. The snowfall level dropped from 1500 m towards 1000 m.
Fresh snow
Between Sunday morning and Monday afternoon above 1600 m:
Lower Valais in the extreme west and north, Leukerbad-Lötschental region: 40 to 60 cm
Immediately neighbouring regions to the north, rest of Lower Valais, rest of northern Upper Valais, the regions from Val Bregaglia to Bernina, Val Poschiavo: 20 to 30 cm
Western Jura, remaining western part of the northern flank of the Alps, southern Upper Valais, central part of the southern flank of the Alps, rest of Upper Engadine, Val Müstair: 10 to 20 cm
Elsewhere: 5 to 10 cm”
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
@peanuthead, it was hit and miss last night, when I wrote the post. The precipitation was very showery with some heavy bursts but also some dry areas. I can't access the precipitation radar for that period any more, otherwise I'd show you! For example, Lets Gets / Morzine only had a dusting at 1500m at dawn, compared with a foot nearby to the east in the Valais at the same altitude.
Today the precipitation was more uniform (at least across the French northern Alps) so it will have made accumulations more similar to each other in terms of %.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
What’s the current outlook for next week?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
@Raven, unsettled and unsure
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| kitenski wrote: |
| @Raven, unsettled and unsure |
That describes me at the moment too 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@denfinella, meteofrance avalanche bulletin gives snowfall amounts each day https://meteofrance.com/meteo-montagne/alpes-du-nord/risques-avalanche
Actually seems like most of Northern French Alps got 40cm at 1800m yesterday, slightly lower in Haute Tarantaise but Tignes was 26cm, les Arcs 23cm. All areas expecting bigger amounts by tomorrow, and posters on SHs confirming it's been dumping all day. Hardly hit and miss but I accept that it was a lot less at 1500m or lower as some of last nights precipitation fell as rain at low altitudes. I see from other thread you are going to PdS, and downside of low altitude resort is at any time of year it can rain when snowing high up. On other hand usually they don't require as much snow on pistes as rocky higher slopes
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@peanuthead, thanks for the link. Maybe we should just agree to disagree re. my "hit and miss" comment for last night's overnight period, it's not important. I agree with all your other points.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amazing weather predictors- where would you actually go if you had to pick a holiday on Europe this weekend, based on base, snowfall and predicted? I find the forecasts consuming and currently only have a Eurostar to Paris on Saturday ..
Serre chevalier, st anton, Val d’isere??
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Val D'Isere .
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@Snowysarah, if the amount of predicted snowfall is a key factor then the Chamonix valley followed closely by the Arlberg . The list at https://wepowder.com/en can be on the optimistic side but it does give a general idea and far easier than trying to pick predictions from peering at graphs or wondering about sudden stratospheric warming events! The weather pattern seems to be coming from the north west which often brings plenty of snow to both the areas I mentioned above. Not so much snow for Serre Chevalier with this pattern which does better with weather from the south. There does appear to be fairly general snow on the cards so most places should be good which will come as a relief after all the media stories of the past couple of weeks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's not all about predicted accumulation!
This is January and strong winds also accompany storms, and high altitude resorts can be grim places to be.
They shut the Col du Lautaret last evening due to the conditions.
This morning still some wind but can't see what will open yet, and they'll probably be a lot of control going on as they'll be some big slabs formed with all the wind blown, forest touring would be the best option but we're going for first lifts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
This mornings update from Tarentaise Meteo
 FOLLOW SNOW EPISODE:
Hello, the night went as expected with new showers and a front that touched us, we rise 7cm in Bourg Saint Maurice (865m) and about fifteen cm above 1200 and 15/20cm above 1800m, 20/25cm above 2200m.
Plus what fell before of course.
The soils have sometimes whitened very low as expected, around 600/700m and the snow has invited itself up to 400/500m without however being able to hold.
⬇The cold air is well present at altitude, we wake up at 6am:
0°C in Bourg St Mauritius (865m)
-1.8°C in the barn (1260m)
-2.2°C in Montvalezan (1270m)
-4.8°C in Sainte Foy de Tarantaise (1582m)
-5.6°C in Val d'Isère (1850m)
-6.7°C in Celliers (1924m)
-7.3°C in Tignes (2084m)
-9.5°C in Val Thorens (2277m)
-9.6°C at Grand Parei (2240m)
-9.5°C at Col du Petit St Bernard (2188m)
-12.1°C over Pralognan domain (2419m)
-13.5°C in La Masse (2800m)
-13.8°C in Chevril (2869m)
-15.0°C in Bellecôte (3000m)
-16.0°C at Pisaillas Glacier (3119m)
Source : Roma and Meteorological
In the mountains, the wind continued to blow strong at times, we once again exceeded 100km/h at La Masse, with a gust of 125km/h at 00h.
71km/h Chevril, 64km/h Val d'Isère and 63km/h at Col du Petit St Bernard.
End of rain currently, some clear skies could develop during the day, rather mid day before the clouds return later in the day, see you tomorrow for the bulletin for tomorrow.
Feel free to share your photos, videos, observations, footage, etc...
Have a great day everyone!
Romain VIVIANI of Taranta Weather
⬇Map of current temperatures (Weather weather)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Some of the webcams make things look very wind scoured which presumably means that the lee faces will be heavily wind loaded, care will be needed if off piste
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Bourg St Mauritius 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Some snow accumulations since the start of the current weather front:
Ecrins/Oisans: 40-60cm at 3000m
Belledonne: 35cm at 2200m
Bauges / Vercors / Chartreuse: 15cm at 1300m, 20cm at 1700m
Beaufortain: 60cm at 2200m
Bonneval: 60cm at 2700m
Orcieres: 40cm at 2300 m
Mercantour: 30cm 2400m
Ariege: 30cm at 2300m
Haute-Tarentaise: 40cm at 2500m
So in terms of where the snow was lacking (<1800m) not really a game changer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
@davidof, nope.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| davidof wrote: |
| So in terms of where the snow was lacking (<1800m) not really a game changer. |
In France, other parts of the Alps are available.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| under a new name wrote: |
| @davidof, nope. |
It is something we see regularly, the forecasts over estimate the amount of snowfall. I will repost the Meteo France predictions with what actually fell (according to their data) and I think we'll see it is about half.
Also when we have a warm spell it takes quite a bit of time for things to cool down and the FL to drop.
Meteo France see some rain on Wednesday afternoon. SL about 1800m dropping overnight into Thursday to 1200m then into Friday when the FL will go up again, then colder weather next week with snow all week - in theory the game changer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| nozawaonsen wrote: |
| davidof wrote: |
| So in terms of where the snow was lacking (<1800m) not really a game changer. |
In France, other parts of the Alps are available. |
We're talking about France
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ok will change the thread name. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| nozawaonsen wrote: |
| Ok will change the thread name. |
You can do whatever you like but UNN and I were talking about France.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I was talking about elsewhere  Happy?
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| nozawaonsen wrote: |
| I was talking about elsewhere Happy? |
then don't quote me but talk about elsewhere then.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@davidof, your earlier post wasn’t a conversation it was simply a statement about conditions, by implication from the stats you quoted, in France. I was simply making the point (albeit slightly cheekily) that the Alps extends a bit further than France and that the conditions in other places are (whilst starting from a relatively low base this season), not necessarily as gloomy as your post might imply.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Meanwhile temperatures continue to look like cooling from around mid month. Not profoundly so, but continuing a better trend than the last few weeks.
Meribel
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| nozawaonsen wrote: |
| @davidof, your earlier post wasn’t a conversation it was simply a statement about conditions, by implication from the stats you quoted, in France. I was simply making the point (albeit slightly cheekily) that the Alps extends a bit further than France and that the conditions in other places are (whilst starting from a relatively low base this season), not necessarily as gloomy as your post might imply. |
+1 a cursory glance at the Arlberg webcams shows snow down to village level not just a dusting either, whilst it needs more snow for the off piste etc certainly not doom & gloom
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| munich_irish wrote: |
| @Snowysarah, if the amount of predicted snowfall is a key factor then the Chamonix valley followed closely by the Arlberg . The list at https://wepowder.com/en can be on the optimistic side but it does give a general idea and far easier than trying to pick predictions from peering at graphs or wondering about sudden stratospheric warming events! |
Just one thing to add in relying on that list is that it often orders resorts in terms of snowfall at their highest lifts. Chamonix is regularly at the top but this is because the Aiguille De Midi is up around 3800m. However, this may not be the best guide to where the best skiing will be. I would prefer to ski somewhere with colder temps lower down, even if in numbers terms the predicted snowfall is less, as it is likely to lead to more abundant enjoyable skiing in readily accessible areas.
For me the best choice (and most of my trips are now booked last minute and have been for around the last 5 or 6 years) is a balance of the following:-
1. Predicted snowfall
2. Cold temps during and after the snowfall - probably the most important factor actually, 50cm powder goes to poo poo immediately if temps rise
3. Low wind - vis a vis avalanche risk, powder being blown away and lift closures
4. Consideration of risk of lift closures or road closures in and out of resort due to snowfall (often hard to engage unless its a mega event - even then I still think these are worth taking a shot at as usually something will open, but also worth bearing in mind if renting a car that Winter tyres are hard to get in French, Italian and Spanish airports)
Thereafter there are some other good criteria worth bearing in mind:-
5. Degree of powder panic in the given resort and competition for first tracks / lift queues (i.e., Chamonix / St Anton)
6. Availability of (relatively) safe and accessible side piste
Finally I like to add in a visit to a new resort I haven't been to, and / or some kind of cultural or off slope factor like good food and wellness
They're my rough decision criteria, although that's not to say it necessarily makes the decision easier! I also try to remember that skiing is always fun also!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Gored wrote: |
| Early next week is starting to look good. Dare to dream 30cm+? |
Well, a clock is right twice a day 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
So this is the latest GFS I can find for Morzine, is it basically saying 2 warm periods then a trend towards usual cooler conditions and the precipitation line is all over the place, so basically anything could happen? I've flights booked 1st Feb for a short break, guess I am telling myself I'll be booking accom very very late!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
@kitenski, only really two warmer days though… rather than anything more prolonged
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
@scottishandy, Yep the trend is your friend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@scottishandy, Nice! I arrive in London from Australia on the 17th to start my ski trip. The temperature difference might be a bit of a shock to the system
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
GFS ensembles showing some consensus on a couple of a fairly big precipitation spikes this weekend. Only problem is the first one seems to come with a FL of over 2000m
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Surface2Air wrote: |
| GFS ensembles showing some consensus on a couple of a fairly big precipitation spikes this weekend. Only problem is the first one seems to come with a FL of over 2000m |
As other have pointed out, can we please be a bit more specific about location / areas / regions when posting forecasts etc? The FL in the NW Alps will be different to the FL in the Arlberg for example.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
My favourite Les Saisies webcams are totally transformed this morning - snow to the bottom in sparkling sunshine. 
