Been keeping an eye out as off to Val D'Isere 13th April for a late week, very much with the "it will be what it will be" attitude.
Wepowder has come up with an outlier seemingly out of the blue overnight with 30cm for there later today/tomorrow.....skeptical but hopeful!!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
dunc999 wrote:
Been keeping an eye out as off to Val D'Isere 13th April for a late week, very much with the "it will be what it will be" attitude.
Wepowder has come up with an outlier seemingly out of the blue overnight with 30cm for there later today/tomorrow.....skeptical but hopeful!!
We’re driving down to Tignes on Friday night so hopefully watching this too!
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?
Let's hope it extends to Les Arcs.... off there on Sunday. Just need that cold front to shift 20 miles west!!
You'd have to wonder about that.....YR has about 10cm, afaik wepowder uses a mix of GFS and ECM.
Flicking thru 14 models here out to thursday looks to be more on the south / italian side, near turin, aosta....with some very decent totals. But french side likely to see some overspill before next dry spell.
Temps by Sun/Mon, models are all somewhere between ECM and AIFS
....should be very nice cold snow eastern end of austria on Sunday
Heading into week 2 of april there's a good spread of possibilities, the best being a reload from the N/NE that gets a little further west....others stay mild and dry though, about 50/50, but not reliable range
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Tue 1-04-25 12:52; edited 1 time in total
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
EvieTee wrote:
We’re driving down to Tignes on Friday night so hopefully watching this too!
Same here, keeping everything crossed for a bit of a top up this week!
We’re driving down to Tignes on Friday night so hopefully watching this too!
Same here, keeping everything crossed for a bit of a top up this week!
Looking like a top up tonight and tomorrow morning according to a few sources.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Snowing at the top of Sainte Foy on the border with Italy now . Very windy .
After all it is free
After all it is free
Models have been very steady for next weekend, probably thanks to the omega block stalemate.
AIFS was always the mildest / furthest east by sunday night, but gradually all of the others have edged towards it, although not by a huge amount given the timescale. Still impressive again from the AI model.
Some of the 12z Op runs below....funny how the sub zero @ 1500m barrier seems to stop at French / Swiss border. Could be a 12-16C difference over less than 1000 km.
No end in sight to the UK high, exactly as I didn't predict. But plenty of spring left.
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Quote:
No end in sight to the UK high
BBC weather last night said it's here until mid-April. Hopefully more great weather for hiking and mountain biking
Then just need @polo to arrange some fresh snow in Tignes ahead of our trip there in under three weeks
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Looks like some models are predicting a breakdown in the current system from around 13th April. Let's see....
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Off to Obergurgl on Thursday.Im guessing we have a good chance of nice bluebird spring weather.
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.
Quote:
Looks like some models are predicting a breakdown in the current system from around 13th April. Let's see....
Non-stop snow from then until the skies clear on the 23rd (ahead of my Tignes skiing from 24th - 28th )
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
@polo, as we happily bake back home, what is the latest tea leaf reading re the change in weather for next weekend? I think you mentioned you might be Italy bound as am I, some apps giving very high freezing point and possibly precipitation, not a great combo...
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Hi Weather experts...
Does any particular region/resort stand out as the best of a bad situation ideally for next week commencing sat 12th - I'd be flying with the kids (7 and 9 y/o) both of who are happy with greens and blues. We can live with spring conditions but will prob pass if its going to be rain and/or very windy...
I can see avios flights available to Geneva, Munich, Milan, venice, lyon (but not to innsbruck, salzburg, turin, grenoble, chamberry). We'd prob hire a car and drive.
At a push we could potentially go early (this Tue).
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Munich - Ischgl or Obergurgl
Milan - Cervinia
Geneva - Tignes or Val Thorens
They are your high options, see how the forecast goes (and the answer to my query above!)
Cervinia got the most recent snow, prob Obergurgl before that but that may not be the determining factors if there is a temp difference between them for your window
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Go very high. Zermatt or Saas Fee are even higher Swiss options to VT and Tignes
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obertauern got a fair amount of snow recently, also a chance of bit more in not too distant future. Eastern alps also cold today and next few days.
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?
Thanks - I had shortlisted the late season resorts (ie your list of usual suspects + les 2 alpes) - but was hoping the snowhead weather experts might have a view on which to go for.... or wether any/all are a write off...
@AliAfro, Both Ischgl & Obergurgl are a trek from Munich (Obertauern is as easy to get to). If you go with Ischgl, which is likely to be as good as anywhere, then fly into Zürich (which is a better airport than most).
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@AliAfro, we have booked Mayrhofen for that week.
We have flights to Munich and got a hire car booked. Last weekend it dumped wonderfully with snow at one point the forecasts were looking wonderfully cold .... not looking quite warm. We can always drive to glacier if too warm.
Am just back from La Thuile, relatively good snow above 2000-2200m but early finish. Not sure I’ll do much more to be honest. It’s very warm away from east.
Quick look at models……the favourable pattern for cold to the east continues until mid week and then you start to see the bigger change from the west. But the breakdown lows are heading for…….Iberia (what are the odds).
I’ll keep an eye out for any changes, but right now am not seeing any cold set up….next 10 days generally above average ……as an Atlantic low heads towards Spain it will send warmer air and possibly high level rain across the alps next weekend via the med, first west then east, roughly fri-tues. A med low might bring snow to lower levels on the south side, but still need to be quite high.
Sorry no good news, that’s what the models are showing……need to see the pattern change quickly (move east) for anything better, or see what happens after that phase, ie once the initial lows clear through from next weekend. Ensembles showing mid month getting cooler (low benchmark), but a bit far away to take seriously
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@polo, thanks, hope you enjoyed la thuile
After all it is free
After all it is free
@8611, yeah great area, typical aosta nice motorway pistes…..think 7b was one that stood out. And how can you not enjoy Italian hospitality, half price food and drink, stunning scenery and beautiful weather. I’ll tell you how…..if you miss the turn off to Courmayeur as soon as you arrive on the Italian side you will spend the next hour in dark tunnels down to aosta and back. You will pay an 18 eur toll for the privilege of doing a u-turn and heading back into the tunnels towards la thuile and the wife will be letting you know how you should have paid more attention, to put it politely
Re. the incoming weather change, does look mostly dry until Sat in the SW, while next week is too far out for any detail on where any rain will end up. I wouldn’t worry yet, many places will probably stay dry. It’s definitely gonna be warm though along western and northern sides…..some models are now showing 12c difference again west to east…….only this time west is northern Spain (zero @ 1500m)…….with parts of alps at +12.
Only straw I can grasp is the models recent tendency to forecast the pattern too far west…..if everything shifts east by a few hundred kms then those zero temps might reach western end by 15/16th.
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Ouch! I've never come from that side, that's unfortunate. I loved La Thuile too, really laid back vibe, blacks down to resort also superb.
My review of the apps is the same as your comments. Some show very light snow to 2000 odd (Bergfex), others show hotter but no snow (snowforecast, wepowder). A bit to play for but I'll take either of those.
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@polo, never follow the green signs….
Courmayeur rule number 1
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Blimey the Western alps are melting! Praying for an Easter reset…
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.
polo wrote:
@8611, yeah great area, typical aosta nice motorway pistes…..think 7b was one that stood out. And how can you not enjoy Italian hospitality, half price food and drink, stunning scenery and beautiful weather. I’ll tell you how…..if you miss the turn off to Courmayeur as soon as you arrive on the Italian side you will spend the next hour in dark tunnels down to aosta and back. You will pay an 18 eur toll for the privilege of doing a u-turn and heading back into the tunnels towards la thuile and the wife will be letting you know how you should have paid more attention, to put it politely
Re. the incoming weather change, does look mostly dry until Sat in the SW, while next week is too far out for any detail on where any rain will end up. I wouldn’t worry yet, many places will probably stay dry. It’s definitely gonna be warm though along western and northern sides…..some models are now showing 12c difference again west to east…….only this time west is northern Spain (zero @ 1500m)…….with parts of alps at +12.
Only straw I can grasp is the models recent tendency to forecast the pattern too far west…..if everything shifts east by a few hundred kms then those zero temps might reach western end by 15/16th.
Time to get the gravel bike out of the garage ... I can't see how anything other than the highest reaches of the Espace Killy, Val Thorens and Verbier will be pleasant to slide on for more than a couple of hours ...
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
@BobinCH, a lot is pivoting on the freezing level in mid April. Could give us anything from an epic Easter to remember, through to a complete washout...
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
franga wrote:
Time to get the gravel bike out of the garage ... I can't see how anything other than the highest reaches of the Espace Killy, Val Thorens and Verbier will be pleasant to slide on for more than a couple of hours ...
the wife will be letting you know how you should have paid more attention
You were driving. She should have been paying more attention!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I'm getting depressed now as it looks like our trip to Val D'Isere 13th-20th April looks like it might be minging rain according to all the forecasts
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@dunc999, thats a fair distance away, plenty of time for the forecast to change.
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?
It is a time of change. The strong omega pattern, which is not too far from the season long average pattern, is going to slip next week...but no telling for how long.
UKMO sums up the flip pretty well comparing todays temps to next monday
France has been stuck in the middle for long periods this winter, and continues that way. On average it's going to be a bit cooler on the southern side, possible SW foehn effect for the north, but also looks a lot heaviier ppn to the S and SW, with some large accumulations showing up Monaco to Milan roughly.
Looking at some of the overnight Op runs for thurs 17th, there are enough differences to cause big changes run to run, ie no consensus possible on detail, how much of a med low might develop, which areas should stay dry, the rainline etc. Will take a few days to sort out.
Nothing too exciting overall yet....could be a decent amount of snow above 2500m in the SW mostly if GFS is right...but as above, not seeing much cross model agreement for next week
Been keeping an eye out as off to Val D'Isere 13th April for a late week, very much with the "it will be what it will be" attitude.
Wepowder has come up with an outlier seemingly out of the blue overnight with 30cm for there later today/tomorrow.....skeptical but hopeful!!
I have been skiing the second week of Easter for 12-13 years now, Val D'iS, Tignes, Les arc, Meribel, Reberty, Val Thoren and St Anton, and I have had nothing but amazing skiing on all but 2 occasions. Everything open, blazing sun, fantastic pistes, ski from 8am (if open) to 6pm every day. Ok, it can be a bit slushy late afternoon if you go low but that is half the fun of Easter skiing, 4-5 hours its great, a couple of hours a bit harder, but so what, nothing is ever perfect.
The only 2 occasions it was a struggle was 2022 in Les Arc 1950 when it was 36 degrees, it was slushy from the morning. Les arc 2000 is in a bowl and it is very shallow at the bottom, you would ski the first bit and then basically stop and walk for 200M, so we headed to vallandry where the snow was so much better. In 2023 we went to St Anton and had total whiteouts for 3 days at village level, you could barely find the lift station let alone get on it. I tried every day, 2 days were blue bird, 2 were such low light you couldn't read the piste so you were all over the place and 2 days were unskiable as you couldn't see more then 3-4 yards.
Look like we might be having a week of rain next week which will be miserable though.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
leggyblonde wrote:
Looks like some models are predicting a breakdown in the current system from around 13th April. Let's see....
I must admit, I am praying it doesn't, so in Val d everything will be open and it will be hot and sunny, I love spring conditions and will take that over lack of visibility and rain in the village any day. There is enough snow to keep everything open for next week, i can live without a small top up at the expense of visibilty and my wife losing confidence and moaning about the rain.
Next week looks pretty miserable but Easter reset gaining in confidence. There could be a lot of fresh snow up high
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
mheadbee wrote:
dunc999 wrote:
Been keeping an eye out as off to Val D'Isere 13th April for a late week, very much with the "it will be what it will be" attitude.
Wepowder has come up with an outlier seemingly out of the blue overnight with 30cm for there later today/tomorrow.....skeptical but hopeful!!
I have been skiing the second week of Easter for 12-13 years now, Val D'iS, Tignes, Les arc, Meribel, Reberty, Val Thoren and St Anton, and I have had nothing but amazing skiing on all but 2 occasions. Everything open, blazing sun, fantastic pistes, ski from 8am (if open) to 6pm every day. Ok, it can be a bit slushy late afternoon if you go low but that is half the fun of Easter skiing, 4-5 hours its great, a couple of hours a bit harder, but so what, nothing is ever perfect.
The only 2 occasions it was a struggle was 2022 in Les Arc 1950 when it was 36 degrees, it was slushy from the morning. Les arc 2000 is in a bowl and it is very shallow at the bottom, you would ski the first bit and then basically stop and walk for 200M, so we headed to vallandry where the snow was so much better. In 2023 we went to St Anton and had total whiteouts for 3 days at village level, you could barely find the lift station let alone get on it. I tried every day, 2 days were blue bird, 2 were such low light you couldn't read the piste so you were all over the place and 2 days were unskiable as you couldn't see more then 3-4 yards.
Look like we might be having a week of rain next week which will be miserable though.
Well it's currently trying to snow in Les Arcs 1950, so not out of the question for VT getting some as mentioned above.
It clouded over this afternoon with some quite dark clouds rolling in.
After all it is free
After all it is free
There were a lot of "threatening" clouds coming towards VT at 4pm but nothing as yet
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[quote="mheadbee"]
dunc999 wrote:
The only 2 occasions it was a struggle was 2022 in Les Arc 1950 when it was 36 degrees,
To show how fickle spring weather can be I was skiing first week of April in Tignes in 2022 and it was -10C the initial few days in Val Claret and I skied some of the best powder I've experienced.
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To be fair, bergfex is at times predicting a meter and more over next few days at altitude and when it eventually stops the sun will come out
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