 Poster: A snowHead
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I guess any of you going away later than the end of Jan probably wont be too bothered just yet, however as I'm going 16th Jan I'm starting to get a little concerned about the weather forecast...
For any of you that understand the charts - this is my reasoning http://www.wetterzentrale.de/topkarten/fsavneur.html
Looking pretty grim if you ask me!
And I know some of you are bound to say "its still plenty of time off!!!", however when you look at previous seasons where January has had very good conditions across the alps, they have seen snow all through December....
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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'm in Zermatt. It's freezing cold, on piste conditions are excellent, and more snow is forecast over the next few day. I don't think there's any need for concern about trips which are imminent and I really can't see there's any need for concern about a trip which is six or seven weeks away, especially if you are basing that concern on GFS forecasts which change almost every day.
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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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I'd be concerned if I was going to a low French resort next week as the temperature forecast is relatively high. It looks colder further east.
But January is a long way off. Far too far ahead to make any assumptions.
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well, weather follows patterns, and history says that when it snows through december - January ski conditions are excellent...
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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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aldoyle, Better change your holiday to Whistler if you really believe that snow on the ground now = best mid january conditions.
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| Quote: |
when you look at previous seasons where January has had very good conditions across the alps, they have seen snow all through December....
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a questionable suggestion - as far as I can recall, after poor snow conditions until 31 Dec 2006, Jan 2007 was fine.
Which bits of the weather site were you bothered by? It's a long way off to be anything other than very tentative about likely evolution of the weather.
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aldoyle, where are you going?
I think the beginning of the 06/07 season was similar, mild temperatures and low natural snowfall to start with, but above 1800m was mostly OK (someone might be able to correct me here, as I didn't ski that season).
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Jesus  I watched about 3 foot of snow fall in Tignes on Monday and Tuesday this week with snow to the Valley level. Take a pill and chill, things are great.
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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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queen bodecia, why would you go to a low French resort next week? none of the lifts will be open (weekends only at the moment as far as I know).
aldoyle, no, not at all concerned, just looking forward to maybe a little skiing Sunday afternoon, maybe even on new skis.
You can't read too much into the charts as the confidence in the forecasts is limited anything more than a few days out.
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under a new name, I wouldn't. I'm going to Italy in March. It was just a comment regarding being concerned about snow conditions.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Am I getting a little concerned? Yes, but only for the unscientific reasoning that we're kind of overdue a dodgy season. Never mind charts, important thing is which way the marmottes are facing.
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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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pam w, queen bodecia, i actually went to Val Thorens in Jan 2007, the exact same week that I am going to Val Thorens again this season.... mid Jan.
The conditions were a bit of a nightmare! Hardpack and icey was the general order, with a few days being windy with very bad weather. Snow down in Mottaret was slushy, as was anything below VT....
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aldoyle, snow conditions are a bit of a lottery. I normally travel in March and have yet to experience truly awful conditions, but I do recall a poor January in La Plagne (mid 90s, can't remember the exact year).
However, VT is looking good at the moment!
http://livecam.valthorens.com/index.php?langue=2
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You know it makes sense.
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nope, not concerned at all, was skiing yesterday here in Chatel, am going back up the mountain all weekend at it's ladies weekend so us girls are free - whippee!
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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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Bode Swiller, nah, there were too many wasps flying around in September, that's always a good sign.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Bode Swiller, What does it mean if the marmottes are reaching out of the snow and grabbing your skis? (I'm just asking... y'know... for a friend....) 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
there were too many wasps flying around in September, that's always a good sign
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and later. I was badly stung by one which got up the arm of my dressing gown as I sat on the terrace having breakfast in mid October at 0900 at 1550m 
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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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aldoyle, Where are you going? It'll be fine. My son is in Arcs 2000 at the moment, & there is heaps of snow now - although not a lot when he arrived on Saturday.
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I'm a little concerned at your pessimisim
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just remembered - if you go to the meteo france site, the page where they have "Prévisions saisonnières" (from which I've taken the quote above) seems to be sponsored by the Muppet Show. Coincidence, I'm sure.
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| Quote: |
and yes, we are probably "overdue" a rubbish season
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? really ? are we meant to get them every 3 years? as I thought Jan 2007 was pretty crap to be honest.
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aldoyle, Last week we had 19 - degree heat, sunshine and blue skies in the South of France on the coast. Twenty miles away the ski resorts now have plenty of snow - and it's still falling - so skiing very soon.
Howver if you reallyneed to worry , it's also possible that it will melt by the time you get here
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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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oh no its that time of year again 
Dont worry - they'll be more white powder than you can find in the toilets at stringfellows !
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aldoyle, 2007 wasn't a rubbish season, even if your particular week in the 3 Valleys was "pretty crap". January wasn't the best of the century, but as a whole, the season wasn't too bad.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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I was in LDA in January 2007 and it was fine, although not great, above 2100m. It must have been poor in lower resorts though judging by the number of coaches turning up daily.
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January 2007 was bad, the Hahnenkam ski race that year was cancelled because of it, but if I remember right the start of that season was very poor with hardly any snow falling in December 2006. No point in getting worried now, just wait until a week before or so.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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| Quote: |
| wonder why people don't make snow boots out of marmots - they look nice and warm and foot sized. |
Excessive inner snout lead, they tend to race each other.
I'm a little concerned that my "remember to pack x you numpty" checklist is getting shorter by the season and that gaffer tape, swiss army knife and zardoz all take precedence over pants and toiletries. I pity the fool who's going to be sharing a chalet with me. Other than that I'm feeling pretty relaxed, thanks for asking.
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Poster: A snowHead
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aldoyle, where are you going? I'd worry on about the 14th Jan if there has been a massive thaw and there is no cold spell in sight....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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kitenski, Val Thorens as mentioned above^^^
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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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| aldoyle wrote: |
| kitenski, Val Thorens as mentioned above^^^ |
So one of the highest resorts in Europe and your worried!!!!
Chill
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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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| Quote: |
| ... gaffer tape, swiss army knife and zardoz all take precedence over pants and toiletries. I pity the fool who's going to be sharing a chalet with me. |
Sounds like all the makings of a scene from Blue Velvet on ice. 
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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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i dont know what u r worried about
i am off to obergurgl next wk 
will be reporting as soon as i get their
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As soon as you get their what?
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MazDave, perhaps he dropped dead mid sentence
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Looking at the pics from Tignes posted on another thread, I'm positively cock-a-hoop about the forthcoming season and I'm going to Morzine 
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
when you look at previous seasons where January has had very good conditions across the alps, they have seen snow all through December....
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a questionable suggestion - as far as I can recall, after poor snow conditions until 31 Dec 2006, Jan 2007 was fine.
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I don't think you recall very well 
High resorts were "OK" in January 2007, but nowhere was really "fine", particularly the last week or two.
As somebody else said, the Hahnenkann race was cancelled that year due to lack of snow, even though they had been trying to bring it in by helicopter for a week before.
And we had none at all in Neiderau, but there was enough to ski on in the Zillertal (above 1800m). Although even there, it was only on-piste, and mainly the pistes with snow cannons that were skiable.
And I don't think France was much better.
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'grim' is not going skiing at all, not wondering whether (weather?) they will be 25 or 35 metric inches of snow in Bad-Skiing-Resort-Stein in 2 months time.
Those of us old enough and boring enough to bang on about the '80s will recall 'ski' holidays that consisted of; a) bus transfer to resort 125 miles away that had a glacier, b) 2.5 hour uplift via veal-truck style cable-car, egg-bubble-with-obligatory-bavarian-pipe-smoker, cable-car, walk and finally t-bar-with-enormous-bottomed-bavarian-pipe-smokers-frau to ski 2 icy blue runs with the 105,632 other punters who had been bussed in from everywhere else. For 25 minutes before it was time to reverse the journey
Guess what though? - best days of my life
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FAQ
Also, note that meteo france themselves say that "il est scientifiquement impossible de prévoir le détail des situations météorologiques plus de 10 jours à l'avance." I think that's understandable even if you don't speak much French! But if not, there are plenty of places on snowheads where you can read the same thing - nobody knows what'll be happening beyond 10 days - and anything further than about 3 days is pretty speculative. To get worried now about a holiday in six weeks time is really a waste of time and energy.
