As is the new norm precipitation last couple of days in the valley has turned to rain.
I given up commenting on how often it's +2 and rain and if it was only 1.5 colder we'd have nigh on cold snow to the valley floor.
Just hope it's not trashing the XC pistes too much, not that too many care about the skinny ski brigade
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Weathercam wrote:
As is the new norm precipitation last couple of days in the valley has turned to rain.
I given up commenting on how often it's +2 and rain and if it was only 1.5 colder we'd have nigh on cold snow to the valley floor.
Just hope it's not trashing the XC pistes too much, not that too many care about the skinny ski brigade
Purely out of curiosity (and sorry if it's a bit off topic, but since you brought it up), how crucial are snow conditions for (touristic) cross-country skiing?
We know how big a difference it makes for alpine skiing, but does it also have a strong impact on the joy/effort levels of XC?
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?
Another decent dusting overnight in the Aosta Valley, its been a bit on and off light snow, low cloud, cold temps since the weekend. Also look like tmr could bring another few cms top up too, before a few days of clear skys.
As is the new norm precipitation last couple of days in the valley has turned to rain.
I given up commenting on how often it's +2 and rain and if it was only 1.5 colder we'd have nigh on cold snow to the valley floor.
Just hope it's not trashing the XC pistes too much, not that too many care about the skinny ski brigade
Purely out of curiosity (and sorry if it's a bit off topic, but since you brought it up), how crucial are snow conditions for (touristic) cross-country skiing?
We know how big a difference it makes for alpine skiing, but does it also have a strong impact on the joy/effort levels of XC?
Wow where do I start (rant)
Past seasons we would only have one or two days of rain in the valley the rest of the days the precipitation would be snow.
Now it's the reverse, one friend actually said he prefers it this way as he no longer has the hassle of getting his car up his little hill, I was none too polite with my response
As XC pistes are on the valley floor, without snow they can't create pistes, which is the first major issue!
If we get enough snow for a piste to be prepared then any rain can trash the piste, as often being flat courses the rain can lay on the piste, then if there's a thaw with the milder temps they melt, and then when the refreeze overnight the pistes are horrible in the morning.
Plus if the meadow pistes are thawing and there is overnight snow they fear they'll do more damage pisting them.
The teams here do an excellent job where they can, and will often concentrate on areas where the snow cover is better, which unfortunately is not the pistes 500m in front of us
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Weathercam, maybe you should move up to Monetier then .
@Hells Bells, no it's full of idiot pedestrians walking on the feckin piste up there
Though on a more serious note the whole champs XC pistes between Monetier and Le Casset have suffered as well this season too as have the pistes beyond Le Casset to Les Boussardes which have hardly been open!
And as for the early season closing of Nevache last season which was a disaster!
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 12-02-25 21:08; edited 1 time in total
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Should be springlike next week and wall to wall sunshine until Wednesday, when it will be wall to wall rain.
Perhaps climate change is rapidly altering mountain environments?
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Northern Alpine Ridge getting plastered today. Very cold overnight too. Enjoy it while you can before it warms up next week
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.
mid week rain for the French northern alps seems to have evaporated and its looking like a snow no show towards the end of the month with some very very warm temperatures.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Looks like snow has finished for the foreseeable
Even the state forecasting service has nothing for ADH for the next 15 days.
Sad face.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Still puking in Engelberg. Can’t see much but insane amounts of snow. Glacier not open today and bluebird forecast tomorrow…
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Alpinebear wrote:
Looks like snow has finished for the foreseeable
Even the state forecasting service has nothing for ADH for the next 15 days.
Sad face.
Well its still snowing in Eastern alps today. then yes clear skies for a while. Maybe some light snow around in 10-12 days time
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Weathercam, thanks for the clarification!
t44tomo wrote:
Alpinebear wrote:
Looks like snow has finished for the foreseeable
Even the state forecasting service has nothing for ADH for the next 15 days.
Sad face.
Well its still snowing in Eastern alps today. then yes clear skies for a while. Maybe some light snow around in 10-12 days time
Indeed, watching the World Championship today you could clearly see a convincing layer of fresh snow in Saalbach
Since January, temperatures have been 2°C above seasonal norms, causing continued thaw in lower sections of ski areas. While the current situation is not as dire as February 2024, snow coverage at lower elevations is notably below average. This is reflected in recent snow depth measurements, such as 24 cm at 1,000 m in Chamonix, compared to 165 cm at 2,758 m at the Couvercle refuge near the Mer de Glace.
Since January, temperatures have been 2°C above seasonal norms, causing continued thaw in lower sections of ski areas. While the current situation is not as dire as February 2024, snow coverage at lower elevations is notably below average. This is reflected in recent snow depth measurements, such as 24 cm at 1,000 m in Chamonix, compared to 165 cm at 2,758 m at the Couvercle refuge near the Mer de Glace.
Had planned to ride Corsica this month, but canned it.
Webcams look grim.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Whitegold, its grim everywhere today. I’d give up skiing if I was you
After all it is free
After all it is free
Corsica, that world reknown holiday island, famous only for its skiing ..................... water skiing.
And obviously a Mediterannean Island is completely representative of European skiing
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Yes Corsica is not known for its snow, but the French alps 800m-1600m is, and that is in a pretty sorry state for the second feb on the bounce.
Whether it is climate change or coincidence is the question and we probably find out the answer over the next 5 years.
We have just had two exceptionally warm years in terms of global temperature and it will be interesting to see if that continues or reverses. We are about to hit solar maximum this summer which quite possibly is the explanation for the last couple years of extreme heat.
Plenty of questions and it’s a topic that can be discussed for hours, but the truth is that snow conditions are poor below 1600m in France and looking at the forecast, they will continue to deteriorate over the next week or two with some exceptionally warm temperatures forecast.
If I was to be pressed to summarise, I think the next 2-5 winters won’t be so bad as the last 2/3 as we head into the solar minimum, but those winters will still be warmer versus the winters during the last minimum (c2018-2021).
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Corsica is (was) one of the snowiest islands in the world.
It can get snow from Nov to May.
You can ski as low as 800-1000m.
This season, however, is a bad one.
Have a Corsica pic from snowier times.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Sun 16-02-25 19:04; edited 1 time in total
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Improving the mood this was at 2500m on Friday. Some of the best snow conditions I can remember
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.
Meanwhile The Geezers had to make do with this, no complaints though, apart from the 50 technical kick-turns to get to it - twas WNW aspect and mainly wind-blown cold snow and way better than expected after the recent nuking winds of last Friday.
But just goes to show it's out there if you're prepared to look for it
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Whitegold wrote:
.....
Have a Corsica pic from snowier times.
Which one are you
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Astontech wrote:
Yes Corsica is not known for its snow, but the French alps 800m-1600m is, and that is in a pretty sorry state for the second feb on the bounce.
One maybe for the climate change thread but Meteo France have posted this chart
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@davidof, So the biggest issue is - as you have previously noted - lower resorts.
The only outlier to this is the Tarentaise valley where lower and higher areas are as expected.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
GreenDay wrote:
@davidof, So the biggest issue is - as you have previously noted - lower resorts.
The only outlier to this is the Tarentaise valley where lower and higher areas are as expected.
Yes, good analysis, nothing to add to that.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Why is that? Are they the equivalent of Nord Stau areas that catch storms or something? Even if they were it shouldn't significantly affect the freezing level in areas so close to each other, and I think its the freezing level as opposed to lack of precipitation that's the problem?
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?
@davidof, well Serre Che is in Pelvoux (on the border), and we definitely should be tres déficitaire at 1,500.
@Weathercam, it is an average for the range and things over in Puy St Vincent are apparently okay, they have 80-90cm of snow depth at 1600-1700m, according to Meteo France.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
8611 wrote:
Why is that? Are they the equivalent of Nord Stau areas that catch storms or something? Even if they were it shouldn't significantly affect the freezing level in areas so close to each other, and I think its the freezing level as opposed to lack of precipitation that's the problem?
This is what Meteo France in Bourg St Maurice say about the snow cover as of today:
"Snow cover: just adequate above 1800/2000 m. Below that, increasingly poor as you descend."
so it doesn't sound fantastic at lower altitudes either (except on ski runs with snow making). Maybe they picked up a few storms from the Italian side? The interior ranges are colder than the exterior ranges. As Gavin noted above, Serre Chevalier isn't great lower down either whereas on the MF chart it is in an "ok" area. The devil is maybe in the details?
This also doesn't explain the poor snow cover in the Haute-Maurienne which has a similar geography to the Haute-Tarentaise and normally picks up more of the Italian snow.
@Weathercam, it is an average for the range and things over in Puy St Vincent are apparently okay, they have 80-90cm of snow depth at 1600-1700m, according to Meteo France.
NNE facing slopes between 1400m to 2700m, it’s invariably decent to great for snow, it holds it well. Also not a vast number of users …. does that affect piste coverage in an arid spell?
A great micro climate.
So good that we enjoyed 11 trips there with Snowbizz, as late as Easter.
We only encountered iffy melt there once or twice below 1600m.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
PSV noticably had plenty of snow right down to 1400m just over a week ago. Not sure that will continue with the current forecast!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Anybody actually forecasting or just a bickering thread now!?
Meteociel has some change coming in about a weeks time for the western alps. Any of the esteemed forecasters concur?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@Alpinebear, Looks to me (not "esteemed") like both ECM and GFS are showing signals for precipitation from the 23rd, with accompanying cold from 25th.
Too far away to get excited about but nice to see that there is a chance of this dry and warm breaking down within an OK timeframe.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Alpinebear wrote:
Anybody actually forecasting or just a bickering thread now!?
I think there is widespread agreement rather than bickering
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
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