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[b]Summary[/b] A mixed picture over the Alps, rather unsettled but with some snow over higher slopes and resorts and some heavy falls in places as well. [url="http://www.snow-forecast.com/pages/tips_full"]http://www.snow-fore...pages/tips_full[/url] Looking at today's forecast, [attachment=133109:13 Alps today.JPG] We can see a lot of precipitation forecast, with freezing levels forecast to be around 1700-2000m. [b]This week[/b] A slight change in format going forward for the rest of the season with daily summaries containing all the info. [b]Sat 14 April [/b]- Generally unsettled with further precipitation over much of the Alps, freezing level 1400-1800m generally, up to 2100m close to Southern Switzerland/Austria border. The precipitation potential lasting for the full 24 hours of Saturday. Freezing levels early Saturday only slightly lower than daytime levels. [b]Sun 15 April [/b]- Very similar to Saturday, again unsettled with widespread precipitation, heavy in places, freezing levels a bit higher, especially to the east,, 1400m to the NW, but 1800-2200m generally. So over the weekend, snow depths decreasing at lower levels, but accumulating nicely over 1800m or so [b]Mon 16 April [/b]- Another unsettled day in general, turning colder from the north with more of a temperature gradient. FL levels 1000-1200m for Germany, the far north of Austria, Switzerland and 1800m+ for South parts of Austria and Switzerland, and for Italy. The showers not as intense as over the weekend. [attachment=133110:13 Alps +72.JPG] [b]Tue 17 April [/b]- Turning much colder overnight over the northern half of the Alps, some showers again but less than over recent day. Freezing levels recovering a bit by day, close to 1200-1500m north, around 1800m SW Austria, S Switzerland and NW Italy. [b]Wed 18 April -[/b] Very cold overnight to the NE of the Alps, showers continuing over night over central areas, some of these may be heavy, a front is set to push into western parts by morning, and this many merge with the showers, to give a more widespread area of precipitation, Freezing Levels similar to recent days. [attachment=133111:13 Alps + 120.JPG] [b]Thur 19 April and Fri 20 April -[/b] Both days are looking rather unsettled with further outbreaks of precipitation some of which may be heavy. Freezing levels, again around the 1500-2200m area, always highest towards the South and East, and lowest to the west and north. [attachment=133112:Fri 13 Mar +168.JPG] [b]Summary[/b] Altitude always makes a difference across the Alps, but never so much as this week, at lower levels, there will be a lot of rain, milder temps, washing away the snow, higher levels, and over 2000m is likely to see mostly snow, will see large snow accumulations, perhaps as much as 30-50cm in places. However, it will come a no surprise that altitude is needed this late in the season and here the end of the season will be far better than 2011.

[b]Summary[/b] As we move into March, the technical winter period is now over, but the skiing season across the Alps continues into April for many resorts, and depending on the snow conditions, into late April in many resorts. The weather across the Alps has been mild for the most parts with spring skiing conditions, so resorts have been losing their snow cover, and slopes are seeing the snow base thin and turn slushy, however snow levels are still very good after very heavy snowfalls for much of the winter. Less mild than recently over the next week, with some further snowfalls more especially over the higher hills as ever. [b]Synoptic Summary[/b] For the rest of the winter period, the synoptic summary will not as detailed as it was earlier in the season. High Pressure to start the weekend over the Alps and mild. By Monday a North Westerly flow brings Polar Maritime air and cooler conditions to initially the UK and then to the Alps. This is also associated with a small low pressure system, with the potential for moderate snowfalls to fairly low levels over the Alps. [attachment=132084:3 Mar today.JPG] [attachment=132083:3 Mar + 51.JPG] However this cold unsettled period doesn't last that long as Azores High pressure does edge back in as it has does so much this winter, this will reintroduce more settled and milder weather for the Alps by midweek. There is a chance of a brief North Westerly flow again by around Thursday, but this may miss the Alps to the east, but this does lead to some uncertainty before the weekend. [attachment=132081:3 Mar +96.JPG] [attachment=132082:3 Mar +120.JPG] [b]Alps Detail [/b] [b]Freezing Levels (noon)[/b] [b]S[/b][b]at 3 Mar - [/b]2400m-2600m generally, 2000-2400m Central Austria, lower than 1200m far E Austria [b]Sun 4 Mar - [/b]1600m-2000m generally, 1000-1600m Central Austria, lower than 800m far E Austria [b]Mon 5 Mar[/b][b]- [/b]800m-1200m generally, 1400m Northern Italy [b]Tue 6 Mar -[/b] 800m-1000m far East Alps, and far west, 1000m-1400m generally, 1500-1700m Northern Italy, Austria/Switzerland border [b]Wed 7 Mar - [/b]800m-1000m far East Alps, and far west, 1000m-1400m generally, 1600-2000m France/Italy border and , Austria/Switzerland border [b]Thu 8 Mar - [/b]900-1200m North,1200m-1500m generally, 1800-2100m North West Italy [b]Fri 9 Mar - [/b]1200-1800m generally, 1800m-2100m S Switzerland, 2400m+ North West Italy [b]850 Hpa Temps (noon)[/b] [b]Sat 3 Mar - [/b]+5c to +9cgenerally, 0c to +5c Central and Eastern Austria. [b]Sun 4 Mar - [/b]+2c to +5c generally, +c to +3c Central and Eastern Austria. [b]Mon 5 Mar - [/b]-4 to -7c generally, 0c to -3c for Italy, and SW Austria [b]Tue [/b][b]6 Mar [/b][b]-[/b] -4 to -5c generally, +1 to -3c S parts of Austria and Switzerland and N Italy [b]Wed [/b][b]7 Mar [/b][b] - [/b]-2c to -4c generally, up to +2c around Austria/Switzerland border [b]Thu 8 Mar - [/b] -5c to -7c North, -2 to -5c central, +1 to +5c North West Italy [b]Fri 9 Mar -[/b] -2 to +2c generally, +3 to +8c W Italy [b]Freezing Levels (6am)[/b] [b]Sun 4 Mar [/b][b]- [/b]large variation [b]Mon 5 Mar[/b] [b]- [/b]200m to 600m France, Switzerland, Western Germany, E Austria, 1000-1400m SE Switzerland, W Austria, and Italy [b]Tue [/b][b]6 Mar[/b][b] -[/b] around 500m or lower [b]Wed [/b][b]7 Mar[/b][b] - [/b] around 500m or lower, above 1000m in parts of Italy [b]Thu 8 Mar - [/b]900-1000m generally, 1200-2100m North West Italy [b]Fri 9 Mar - [/b]1200m-1600m generally, lower in Austria [b]Alps Daily Summaries[/b] [b]Sat 3 Mar[/b]- Mostly dry during the day, but a few showers developing in E Switzerland and W Austria during the evening snow around 1000m [attachment=132091:3 Mar Alps.JPG] [b]Sun 4 Mar - [/b]Overnight showers continuing though the day in E Switzerland, W Austria, N Italy and S Germany, snow to around 1500m, dry elsewhere but heavy precipitation edging inyo the west by late evening, snow to around 1400m on front edge,this lowering rapidly as it pushes in. [attachment=132090:3 Mar + 24 Alps.JPG] [b]Mon [/b][b]5 Mar[/b][b] - [/b]The front moving quite quickly SE during the day, giving 4-6 hrs of precipitation in most places, for France and Switzerland, S Germany, perhaps longer in Western Germany with snow down to around 600m on back edge closer to 1000m on front edge, Heavy showers following on behind for late afternoon and early evening in other western parts, snow down to around 700m. [attachment=132089:3 Mar +48 Alps.JPG] [b]Tue [/b][b]6 Mar[/b][b] -[/b] The front pushing well south into Italy during the day, and turning mostly dry over the Alps after from a few light showers popping up in central areas during the afternoon. [attachment=132088:3 Mar +72 Alps.JPG] [b]Wed 7 Mar -[/b] Dry during the day, with some precipitation edging into the German Alps form the north late evening. [attachment=132087:3 Mar +96 Alps.JPG] [b]Thu 8 Mar[/b] - At this stage there could be quite a lot of precipitation for Austria during Thursday, mostly down to resort level. [attachment=132086:3 Mar +120 Alps.JPG] [b]Fri 9 Mar[/b] - More widespread precipitation is likely on Friday for Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland, down to around 1200m, but a lot of uncertainty this far out. [attachment=132085:3 Mar +144 Alps.JPG]