 Poster: A snowHead
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Slim, one hopes. Would bring most outdoor activities to a complete halt. Frost-bitten in minutes!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've quite happily skied in Norway in -25C.
Just wear the right clothes are you are fine.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| The extreme weather across the US will presumably make skiing untenable in some resorts? |
I know of one ski hill in the Midwest that closed due to these temps. The problem they say are potentially very icy roads, but as it’s a family-run resort, I think it’s just an excuse to give all the staff a Christmas vacation 
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I skied in light to moderate rain in Rohrmoos-Untertal until lunch, the highest temp reading I saw was +7c.
Actually the skiing was great, the emptiest slopes I can recall, thanks to decent base.
Above circa 1700m several inches of snow had settled in the night, post piste-bashing.
Now the sun’s out.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| The extreme weather across the US will presumably make skiing untenable in some resorts? |
It already has. The Banff ski resorts have been shut for the last couple of days - or just offering a few limited sheltered lifts and runs.
It’s been well below -30C there - just too cold to be safely out and about for any period of time
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I used to cycle into work and some days it would be -30C - but dry and sunny so not too bad. The footpaths would have several cms of solid ice on them for weeks on end - I had (and still have) studden MTB tires... they work very well, until they don't.
I wouldn't go out in those temps now, I don't think.
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Any sign of it getting any cooler in the charts? Not sure where to find them?
I’ve seen it a lot worse this time of year but feel for the folk heading out for Christmas.
I’m out early January to Bozel for a month, hoping for a change by then but either way will be good to be in the mountains.
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| davidof wrote: |
I used to cycle into work and some days it would be -30C - but dry and sunny so not too bad. The footpaths would have several cms of solid ice on them for weeks on end - I had (and still have) studden MTB tires... they work very well, until they don't.
I wouldn't go out in those temps now, I don't think. |
Where was that, surely not Grenoble at 212m 
Doesn't even get like that here at 1,400m !!
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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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| NoMapNoCompass wrote: |
I've quite happily skied in Norway in -25C.
Just wear the right clothes are you are fine. |
Pretty common temps up Montreal direction as well but you do need to keep covered up and watch for frost nip. Once did night skiing at the Eastern townships and it was noticeably colder than normal. When we asked what the temps were at the top lift, the response was - 48C.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@sparkzter, not for the timebeing.
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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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@franga, where are you and got any pics of the damage?
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You know it makes sense.
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@franga, “now this” what? It’s not a very unusual pre xmas week round here …
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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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I'm just back from walking two out of the three dogs and I was just thinking about how well things are holding up here (Serre Chevlaier), but I don't think we've had anywhere near the amount of rain that I hear and I've read about in the Northern French Alps?
Walking across the snow on a South facing field still a good 40cm though very soggy (almost rotten snow) and my boots were going through the two or three previous days' footprints, now the big question, how long is it going to take to transform?
And now the sun keeps trying to do impressions of a "sunny day" in Japan through the cloud.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Weathercam wrote: |
| davidof wrote: |
I used to cycle into work and some days it would be -30C - but dry and sunny so not too bad. The footpaths would have several cms of solid ice on them for weeks on end - I had (and still have) studden MTB tires... they work very well, until they don't.
I wouldn't go out in those temps now, I don't think. |
Where was that, surely not Grenoble at 212m
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A similar altitude but more continental, there were cross country ski tracks from the city out into the countryside but I don't think anything like that is possible now.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @franga, “now this” what? It’s not a very unusual pre xmas week round here … |
Hmm - it's relatively normal to have mild spells with rain around Christmas, but is the duration of the mildness and the quantities of precipitation really normal (simultaneously)? I would say not.
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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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@denfinella, Yep drove in torrential rain from Calais to Ste Foy arrived at 1am just as it turned to rain in station . It’s been chucking down since , 16 hrs . What’s not normally the saving Grace is that is snowing up top im not sure that’s the case I can nearly see the top the mountain , 2700m
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @franga, “now this” what? It’s not a very unusual pre xmas week round here … |
Mild spells? Yes
Some rain? Yes
Torrential rainfall at 2,500 meters is definitely not the norm in late December in the French Alps
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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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it rained up to 3k this time-ish last year. It snowed for 2 days solid then turned to rain and screwed the whole lot up and didn't snow again till feb-ish if I remember correctly.
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Last year we were so determined to get out at New Year - went to Villars and spent a very wet week there... we obviously haven't learned as we're off to Morzine on the 27th!
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@franga, uhhh, it's totally not unheard of, not that unusual in fact ...
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@Mother hucker, dumped Dec 10 (I have pics) then rained around just after xmas but then dumped (at least at 1,150 amsl in Chamonix) on Jan 9. An unusual year in that we had quite a lot of snow in the garden but only in 3 or 4 big falls.
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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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| Mother hucker wrote: |
| it rained up to 3k this time-ish last year. It snowed for 2 days solid then turned to rain and screwed the whole lot up and didn't snow again till feb-ish if I remember correctly. |
I don't think last year's mild / wet spell was comparable. The quantity and duration of rain was less, so it didn't do as much damage to the base. (The base was also better prior to last year's rain event, which obviously helped.)
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@denfinella, you might have 2 good points there.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| denfinella wrote: |
| Mother hucker wrote: |
| it rained up to 3k this time-ish last year. It snowed for 2 days solid then turned to rain and screwed the whole lot up and didn't snow again till feb-ish if I remember correctly. |
I don't think last year's mild / wet spell was comparable. The quantity and duration of rain was less, so it didn't do as much damage to the base. (The base was also better prior to last year's rain event, which obviously helped.) |
But is this not the other pov? This year's base was rotten and unless there was going to be a mega snowfall to bury it, this year was on course to be lethal avalanche year. But this soaking rain will stabilize the base once it refreezes, and once we get fresh snow we should be on course for quite favourable avalanche year?
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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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@peanuthead, I see your point - for medium altitudes this rain could be good for snowpack stability. Though most skiers will be more interested in piste conditions than off piste.
Also, below 1500m or so - maybe higher - there may be little base left to stabilise, especially in the NW Alps. Some of the lower ski areas such as Les Carroz, Samoens, Morillon, Praz de Lys and many more are already 100% closed, and there is still some more rain and several days of mild weather to come.
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@under a new name, 28th December a meter must have fell in Tignes. 29th it rained up to 3k screwed the lot
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You know it makes sense.
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@denfinella, yes correct but it still became warm and made off piste not pleasurable for weeks as no new snow followed
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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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This is all rather depressing.
Any possible good news on the far horizon? We need some good Christmas snow hope!
Of course Japan, where I had atrocious snow conditions last ski trip is having an amazing season …
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Raven, OK, glass half-full thoughts:
Beyond Christmas the poorest conditions will mostly be reserved for the low ski areas in the northwest and west Alps, especially those with lots of skiing below 1700m or so (e.g. Morzine, Grand Massif outside the Flaine bowl, Megeve, Espace Diamant, La Clusaz, Villars, Gstaad, Adelboden, Vercors...). Elsewhere and higher up, piste skiing should improve from the current sticky mush as long as there are a few overnight refreezes (which can happen if skies are clear even if atmospheric temperatures are fairly high).
Italy (e.g. Livigno, Madonna di Campiglio, Dolomites), southern France (e.g. Isola, Auron, Serre Chevalier) and far south of Switzerland (e.g. St Moritz) have all been less affected by this rain. Austria somewhere in the middle I think. Elsewhere, pistes above 22-2500m should also have great conditions once visibility improves (and avalanche risk subsides), with loads of fresh snow up high in France / Switzerland (e.g. Val Thorens, Val / Tignes, Les Arcs, Verbier).
As for the forecast from now into early January - "less bad" than the current weather, but significant snow seems unlikely. Warm for a few days after Christmas, then temporary cooling to seasonal temperatures (some rain / snow for north / west side of the Alpine ridge, probably with greatest quantities for the NW Alps again) before becoming warm and drier again. This is currently supported by all the major weather models. Could be some further damage to the snowpack below 1500m, but not to the extent of this week. May freshen things up above this altitude.
NW Alps mostly warmer than average, some snow / rain then drier. Chamonix:
Austria looks similar, probably slightly lower snowline further east. Innsbruck:
Italy drier but similar temperature trends. Trento:
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 23-12-22 22:54; edited 9 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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A lot of snow has fallen up high which is good for the base. With some colder temps and small top ups there could be some great skiing in the coming days in VDI, 3V, Cham, Zermatt, Verbier etc
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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 really will need a snorkel and mask if you are skiing over Christmas
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@davidof, looks a bit damp. Which ski area is 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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| Quote: |
| You really will need a snorkel and mask if you are skiing over Christmas |
Even the location shown still has snow and will still have skiing. Yes, it's disappointing but anyone who expects 100% perfect conditions every time they go, needs to give their head a shake and put their toys back in the pram 
It could be worse - at least the weather looks to be drying up now in the Alps.
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@mountainaddict, exactly that, I treat times like this as practice days. Theres always something I need to tweak work on with my skiing and I don't need steep deep for javelin turns and the like
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| mountainaddict wrote: |
| Quote: |
| You really will need a snorkel and mask if you are skiing over Christmas |
Even the location shown still has snow and will still have skiing.
It could be worse - at least the weather looks to be drying up now in the Alps. |
Erm well no you won't the resort has closed due to flooded pistes.
Pras de Lys Sommand in the Haute Savoie.
https://www.facebook.com/arnaud.chatel.37/videos/2087696461440138
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Henri at Wepowder is not as depressive as folk on here. Maybe that's because of the focus on the Western Alps . It does appear that a bit further east there could be some snow down to about 1500m though the outlook is for pretty mild weather. Latest GFS suggests a small amount of snow for the Arlberg etc overnight Monday / Tuesday
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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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@munich_irish, yes, there is definitely a NW bias on here (myself included) which is currently the area with the worst conditions.
Austria should also be getting snow to slightly lower altitudes today as the current storm moves away.
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@munich_irish, Not that I wish poor conditions on any area but I'm only interested in Österreich. I'm not out there till Monday but fro what I'm hearing its not anywhere near like NW alps far from perfect but it's still December
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FAQ
and all resort staff who've had to endure 2 years of covid and now this ... 
