 Poster: A snowHead
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Morning all, quick question please. On Snow-Forecast.com where there are the figures for the rainfall and snow amounts expected, figures are in bold and sometimes figures are in normal non-bold font. What does the non-bold figures mean? Thank you.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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One of the weather fundis may be along soon to answer, otherwise you might want to jump into the snow forecast room and ask it.
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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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Looks to me (after a brief look at a few locations) that 1 cm = non bold and 2 cm + = bold ?
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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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Snowforecast also weird on middle/top mountain expected snowfall.
For at least a couple of locations (the ones I'm interested in due to future trips), it has a higher expected total mid mountain. Is that (metereologically) possible?
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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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| suec wrote: |
Snowforecast also weird on middle/top mountain expected snowfall.
For at least a couple of locations (the ones I'm interested in due to future trips), it has a higher expected total mid mountain. Is that (metereologically) possible? |
Yes. Colder at top, flakes can be smaller, so not as much volume.
Equally you could have sun at the top and snow lower down.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ah..thanks. Just I hadn't seen that before. Indeed I was in Gressoney last week and it was sunny high and cloudy (but not snowy, unfortunately) below.
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Thanks all for your replies, thankful for the little that should fall beginning of next for our week based at La Tania.
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@GixerGirl, be sceptical about the numbers of cms of precipitation on Snow forecast. It is based on just one model, and gives a much more certain impression than a careful reading even of that run of that model, let alone other runs and other models would give you. Some people insist that they always "over forecast" and are disappointed when the "promised" half a metre of snow doesn't materialise but don't notice when 1 cm forecast becomes 10 on the day. They err in both directions.
You'll get a much better idea of the possibilities by following the main weather thread, or the thread for the 3 Valleys (for La Tania). It does look like some snow is coming in Sunday/Monday. Fingers crossed....
The models are more reliable on temperature, but don't take the "rain/snow" level as gospel.
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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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| GixerGirl wrote: |
| Thanks all for your replies, thankful for the little that should fall beginning of next for our week based at La Tania. |
I believe the snow over in 1650 is still in good condition so I wouldn't worry too much.
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If you don't have a human-based forecast for where you are going, I find meteoblue.com to be pretty good. no-snow-forecast is rubbish.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@pam w, although I'm not a great fan of snow forecast, preferring to look at a number of others, and then go with the best one 
This is from Snow Forecast site which gives an idea as to how they compile their data, admittedly with a healthy dollop of PR spin.
Where does your weather model come from?
Although the actual snowfall forecasts are made using our computers at snow-forecast.com, the raw weather forecast data comes from the National Weather Service (NWS) in America; the largest organisation of its kind in the world. Serious weather forecasting requires massive computer power, vast expertise and an almost unlimited budget. Only a very few organisiations in the world can achieve this, arguably only two! If they are honset, most small weather companies derive their products from people like NOAA and ECMWF, and those that don't would probably become much more reliable if they did! To our credit we do much more than simply re-package NOAA products, but without them as a basis, our service couldn't exist at all.
We use the Global Forecast System (GFS) weather models for our input data. For our purposes these are ideal, not only because they are detailed, reliable and frequently updated, but also, because they are intended for aviation planning. Thus, they contain accurate descriptions of how conditions vary with elevation. This provides the key to how we derive surface temperature over a wide range of altitudes using digital elevation models. When we combine this with preciptiation forecasts, we arrive at snowfall.
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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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Whether you think Snow Forecast is accurate or not or more/less accurate than others they do have a very good FAQ page (the answer to suec's question is contained therein):
https://www.snow-forecast.com/pages/faq
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You know it makes sense.
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My view is that any weather report only gives you a general view and actually in most cases that is all you need to plan your days skiing.
So I would be looking at if their may be high winds - if so some lifts may be shut and/or I may want to find sheltered slopes. What is the freezing level as this may make higher/lower altitude skiing more desirable. Will things brighten up as the day goes on (later start) or deteriorate (early start/finish), etc. etc. The final details, exact timings matter less.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Thank you and all. Regardless, looking forward to our "not quite red eye" flight out of Edinburgh tomorrow morning. 
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FAQ
