 Poster: A snowHead
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...well, more specifically Serre Chevalier!
Just what is the deal with this snow drought!? Surely if it hadn't been for the extra-low temps over the past month or so, we'd be looking at brown slopes by now? Seems incredible to think that there's been almost no significant snowfall since Christmas! Surely this cannot go on much longer... (he says desperately hoping someone - Skanky? - has some crumbs of comfort to offer...)
I can confidently predict that there will be a huge dump of snow on or shortly after Sunday 27th March, as this is the day we return from the resort. Anyone planning a late season trip can book for that week, safe in the knowledge that there will be gobsmackingly large amounts of fresh snow at that time.
Anyone seen any positive looking signs of imminent downpours of the white, fluffy stuff?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Posted a translation of a piece on the problems the southern Alps are facing here
A few sarcastic comments about "touristofficespeak" in the follow-up posts too.
It's bad - especially if you are more than a blues cruiser. Lots of the steeper runs are closed, and there's no off piste to speak of. Still, with a month to go there's still hope...
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Thu 24-02-05 18:01; edited 1 time in total
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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'm keen to understand the weather patterns for this region better. I'm off to Les Deux Alpes for the week commencing 2 April and am sure I'll get some skiing, but will there be any soft stuff. My concern is based on my last trip to Les Deux Alpes where high winds turned the new snow (off piste) to ice virtually overnight (Christmas 2003). I love to know what are the chances of fresh snow not accompanied by high winds?
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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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Good point PG - just look at the hopeless "forecasting" done by the British weather forecasters in the last day or so... "heavy snow & hazardous driving conditions in the Midlands", yeah, right... I had 1 cm of wet snow on my car this morning! If they can't even get it right that close to the time, what chance over a month away?
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dasher, I've skied La Grave several times in April...so been down to St Christophe, and LDA a few times. Yes...you'll get snow. It will be soft, either a) 'cos it's fresh, or b) (most likely) 'cos the sun has got at it. Chatting to a mountain guide in Alpe D'huez last week, he mentioned that 'These days, it's usually windy when it snows'....global warming or something.
Being picky, I'm not sure that wind can turn snow to ice....can blow it all away tho' 
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ski, your guide's concern is my concern too. Everywhere I've been recently snow has been accompanied by or followed by wind. I wonder if this could this be something to do with choosing higher resorts?
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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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Nice one PG. Looks like there's another mass of cloud heading in behind the first lot too. So cloud coming from the west is good news for Southern Alps or not? - can't remember which way is best now!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Lived in the south-east for a long while - most of the "weather" in the southern Alps comes from the south-west, bringing up moisture from the Med.
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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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| ski wrote: |
Being picky, I'm not sure that wind can turn snow to ice....can blow it all away tho' :( |
They were probably thinking of windpacked snow. The wind compacts the snow crystals breaking down the delicate crystal structure in a process called sintering. If th sun gets on whats left you can effectively get very hard icy slopes. This winter a lot of snowfall has been accompanied by strong winds which have lead to poor conditions higher up, better lower down where it is sheltered. The best skiing condtions at present are in the lower pre-Alps between 1000 and 2000 meters. There has been almost 2meters of snow over the last two weeks in the Vercors and not much less here in the Chartreuse.
Here is a photo from my office window to give you an idea of the conditions:
http://www.skirando.com/images/news/2005/sept-laux-25feb.jpg
I'm off out now :-).
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The Southern Alps are suffering prolonged sunshine - it's the middle of summer right now. Never heard of a place called Serre Chevalier in the Southern Alps. You might be more sucessful looking for it in the southern Alps. 
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You know it makes sense.
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That's a GFS model animation (not a satellite one) - which is also what Metcheck tend to use (amongst other things) in their snow forecast.
Sorry to be pedantic.
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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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skanky... yes so it is! Wasn't thinking too clearly at the time - having resisted the temptation until now, with a lazy afternoon ahead and no work to speak of, I finally succumbed - and drank those two bottles of Black Sheep in very quick succession.
Thanks again, really superb, brought back some memories. Through a bit of a haze...
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Poster: A snowHead
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PG, no worries and glad you enjoyed them. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Manda, I would be surprised if everybody doesn't know where the Southern Alps are. It always comes up in the pub quiz on skiing holidays>
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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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maggi, it would indeed be surprising, if the Southern Alps had gone missing.
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laundryman, Well, if they had, it would be a woman's fault. Because they're the ones who always tidy everything away 
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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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We've actually got some snow forecast for the Southern Alps in the next 3 days. I'll let everyone know if it turns up.
The main problem in the Southern Alps has not really be a lack of snow, it's been too much wind...  pardon-me! We have had quite a lot of snow, but the wind has scoured the slopes....particularly high up.
It has been perpetually cold here at PSV for the last 2 months so lots of snow making is keeping the resorts open...conditions are not that bad all things considered.
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petel, ..... are you in two places at once? 
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hmmm, metcheck have been predicting lots of snow in three days' time for about the last 3 weeks. I think they are paid by the serre che tourist office
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It snowed in serre-chevalier last night
about six inches in the bottom of the valley so there should be a bit more on the tops
we have been waiting along time for snow...
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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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jc, Thank you....you've made my day! Now if you could just arrange a few more feet between now and next Saturday.....
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| Quote: |
It snowed in serre-chevalier last night
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Hurrah! Bring it on. homphomp, just don't go using it all up - some of the rest of us have 2 weeks to wait!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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carled, Knowing my luck it'll start snowing as we leave and you'll get the best stuff! Have a grand time...
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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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If it snowed last night, why is snow-forecast reporting this?
Serre Chevalier Snow Report Snow conditions courtesy of the Ski Club of Great Britain
Date of report: 02/03/2005
Weather: Sun. Clear skies providing great views
Lower Slopes: 20 cm
Temp at 8am: -10 C
Upper Slopes: 50 cm
Date Last Snow: 23/01/2005
Glacier Snow :
Off Piste: Packed
Runs to Resort: Hard
No of Lifts Open: 67 / 74
Piste Condition: Hard
Comments: Some icy patches
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Ah. That'll be because the report was from yesterday...
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You know it makes sense.
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homphomp, I have the same luck usually... bumper snowfall starting the 27th March then...
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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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I should think there'll be some more over the next 48 hours. After that, it looks like amounts will drop off a bit, but there could be some mid-week.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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carled, ignore snow forecast's report, it's been the same since 23/01/05, they seem to rotate between using different sources for the reports and they're all very wrong.
Yes, it has snowed, it snowed on Monday too. Much better conditions. And PG, I missed your post on 24th Feb but there is off-piste to speak of and has been all along. Just well-packed, obviously no soft stuff and rocks to watch out for, but good to ski on. But then, I am only skiing in Monetier at present so not sure what the rest of the valley is like!
The new snow is great news. It's snowing heavier than it has in five weeks now so long may it continue...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Mel@EurekaSKI, pleased it's snowing of course, but it will delay the restart of the building on the apartment of course, but enjoy the snow.
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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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Long may it snow as am going there on 2 April and having spent 2 seasons working there I need off-piste!
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skilegs, enjoy..........
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