ALL THINGS AUSTRIA

[carinthian]

Evening, just amazing heat going on at the moment for much of Austria and other Central European Countries. Extreme heat stress warning out for Vienna today. Most regions have +30C today and even at elevation of 1500m plus, temps above 23c. Soon be bier time, so off to the local pub to wet my whistle. No excuses really needed. This summer is a record breaker.

 C

[seaside 60]

With this continuous heat this year in the Alps and surrounding areas, have all the summer skiing areas shut down a while ago and is it decimating the glaciers.

[carinthian]

With this continuous heat this year in the Alps and surrounding areas, have all the summer skiing areas shut down a while ago and is it decimating the glaciers.

Generally, summer ski-ing conditions have been very poor. France is the worst with only one glacier in operation for summer ski-ing. The Eastern Alps have faiedr a little better with Hintertux expected to last the season with ski-ing on the glacier now 365 days but with very little additional cover. Stubia glacier now closed.

C

[seaside 60]

I skied Stubia glacier a long time ago.

Quite funny dressed to go skiing at the base, everyone else dressed summer style.

I remember we landed at Innsbruck with temps at 30c and thinking how the hell will it be cold enough up there lol.

[carinthian]

I skied Stubia glacier a long time ago.

Quite funny dressed to go skiing at the base, everyone else dressed summer style.

I remember we landed at Innsbruck with temps at 30c and thinking how the hell will it be cold enough up there lol.

Sad to report Stubia Glacier is one of those suffering with fast retreat . The run of 3 hot summers have made summer ski-ing impossible. Every effort is being man made to protect and slow the retreat, but looks like facing a losing battle. There was plenty of new winter snow mass last year on the glaciers but the high level heat has melted a lot away. What year did you ski the Stubia ?

 C

[Woollymummy]

My iPhone weather app says that Vienna temps will exceed Ouagadougou quite a lot this week (my favourite checker on hot weather being " does it beat Ouagadougou?" ) I love the thought of the long warm summer nights Carinthian, that is something we def have not really had this year here. Enjoy your beers :-)

[carinthian]

My iPhone weather app says that Vienna temps will exceed Ouagadougou quite a lot this week (my favourite checker on hot weather being " does it beat Ouagadougou?" ) I love the thought of the long warm summer nights Carinthian, that is something we def have not really had this year here. Enjoy your beers :-)

Hello again, some intense heat in Vienna today. This is a prolonged heat wave nationwide and at altitude. Last evening was still 21c at 9pm and that's at 1650m. As you say, calm sultry evenings are best for a relaxing pint outside. I don't need any excuses ! The sub tropical high pressure belt has been right over us for nearly 2 months, so not much moisture in the atmosphere for the usual storms to develop in the mountains. Have missed these, but look out for them every evening. A welcome change to cooler conditions expected over the weekend with some rain and even snow at 3000m !.

 C

Edited August 12, 2015 by carinthian

[seaside 60]

Sad to report Stubia Glacier is one of those suffering with fast retreat . The run of 3 hot summers have made summer ski-ing impossible. Every effort is being man made to protect and slow the retreat, but looks like facing a losing battle. There was plenty of new winter snow mass last year on the glaciers but the high level heat has melted a lot away. What year did you ski the Stubia ?

 C

I reckon it must have been around 1990 ish, as I said a long while ago.

Its the way of the mountains in that you can have masses of snow mid to late season but if it gets to hot in the summer it just wont last.

[carinthian]

Hello again, some intense heat in Vienna today. This is a prolonged heat wave nationwide and at altitude. Last evening was still 21c at 9pm and that's at 1650m. As you say, calm sultry evenings are best for a relaxing pint outside. I don't need any excuses ! The sub tropical high pressure belt has been right over us for nearly 2 months, so not much moisture in the atmosphere for the usual storms to develop in the mountains. Have missed these, but look out for them every evening. A welcome change to cooler conditions expected over the weekend with some rain and even snow at 3000m !.

 C

The intense heat wave peaks today in central Europe. Forecast temperatures in Austria widely in the range 30c to 38c. The highest temps could be in Salzburgerland with 37C . Even in the mountains cloudless skies  and temperatures into the mid 20s c.

[SMU]

Hey C

 

thanks for the reply in the snow thread-

 

it also got me thinking- I was looking at the models & seeing quite a stark change of colder autumnal air filtering into Scandi next week

 

in terms of September what 850's would you need to see snow at your elevation- 0c? - could you nibble snow in August?

 

cheers

Steve

[Andy H]

Just got back from Austria, lovely place! just missed out on the real heat with temps around 25C and the day we travelled to Salzburg it rained all day!

 

But still a lovely country to visit

[Woollymummy]

The intense heat wave peaks today in central Europe. Forecast temperatures in Austria widely in the range 30c to 38c. The highest temps could be in Salzburgerland with 37C . Even in the mountains cloudless skies  and temperatures into the mid 20s c.

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It has been good hearing about a classic nice hot summer, did you get some storms to finish it off? We had a cracker the other day, no thunder but amazing rain.

[carinthian]

Hey C

 

thanks for the reply in the snow thread-

 

it also got me thinking- I was looking at the models & seeing quite a stark change of colder autumnal air filtering into Scandi next week

 

in terms of September what 850's would you need to see snow at your elevation- 0c? - could you nibble snow in August?

 

cheers

Steve

Hi Steve, nearly getting that time of year again for snow fixation. Had rain today and overcast but the heat returns again with weekend temps back in the low 30sC. The snow portal service does not start until the end of October. Looking at the latest GFS charts, as you mention looks like some Northern Continental flow showing with a lowering of temps through the layers. God we need a cooling off after the blistering heat this summer in much of Central Europe. At the our elevation (1650m) the 850s are forecast to fall to 5C . From that projection snow could easily fall on the bergs at 2000m. However,at least another hot 5/7 days to come.

[carinthian]

It has been good hearing about a classic nice hot summer, did you get some storms to finish it off? We had a cracker the other day, no thunder but amazing rain.

A bit of rain recently but no classic thunderstorms. I think you in the UK have had more moisture to tap in to for storms to develop. The sub -tropical high pressure belt has been right over us this summer and hence the upper air layers have been dry. Another spell of hot weather coming and peaking at weekend, then a gradual cooling off. Maybe time left for some classic mountains thunderstorms.

C

[carinthian]

Just got back from Austria, lovely place! just missed out on the real heat with temps around 25C and the day we travelled to Salzburg it rained all day!

 

But still a lovely country to visit

Hi, where did you visit ?

C

[Andy H]

Hi, where did you visit ?C

We stayed in Bruck, in the region of Kaprun

[carinthian]

We stayed in Bruck, in the region of Kaprun

Hello Andy, know of the area fairly well. Never have been to Bruck but have skied in Rauris on the borders with Salzburg Province and Karten. Sometimes, we can see the distinctive arrow top peak of the Kitzsteinhorn Mountain that dominates Kaprun. Glad you enjoyed your stay in Austria.

C

[carinthian]

Early morning shot looking towards the local ski mountain the Aineck. Another sunny hot day beckons.

C

[seaside 60]

Early morning shot looking towards the local ski mountain the Aineck. Another sunny hot day beckons.

C

11916082_10153627383188628_2544394414424926966_n.jpg

Funny you look at that lovely photo and it doesn't even look high enough for it to be a ski area in winter.Just looks like rolling hills, no classic steep mountains.

[carinthian]

Funny you look at that lovely photo and it doesn't even look high enough for it to be a ski area in winter.Just looks like rolling hills, no classic steep mountains.

Yes, it is a bit deceptive, however the picture is taken at an elevation of 1750m. The tree line is a bit higher in the warmer climate of Carinthia. The mountain summit is close to 2300m, not a monster mountain for ski-ing compared to France or Swizerland but up there with the best in Austria. The run down the north side into the Lungau resort of St Margaretten is one of the longest in Ausria with a superb 7 km run that glides through forests and pastures. This run is called the A1 and I can vouch as one of the best runs ever to ski on. It is served by 2 state of the art gondalas. The Aineck may look insignificant but is a mighty mountain to ski on/.

C

[carinthian]

Another hot sunny day draws to a close in Austria. This summer is the 2nd warmest in 300 years! Records broken over many of the provinces with a summer surplus of +2.5c for many. Today reached +21c at 1600m with the humidity much higher today in the Carinthia Region.

C

[Andy H]

Hello Andy, know of the area fairly well. Never have been to Bruck but have skied in Rauris on the borders with Salzburg Province and Karten. Sometimes, we can see the distinctive arrow top peak of the Kitzsteinhorn Mountain that dominates Kaprun. Glad you enjoyed your stay in Austria.

C

We took the cable car up Kitzsteinhorn Mountain, amazing experience! also a swim in Zell am See lake, also Sigmund-Thun Gorge is well worth a visit, just for the colour of the water behind the dam

[seaside 60]

Another hot sunny day draws to a close in Austria. This summer is the 2nd warmest in 300 years! Records broken over many of the provinces with a summer surplus of +2.5c for many. Today reached +21c at 1600m with the humidity much higher today in the Carinthia Region.

C

Funny when you mention average temps 2.5c above normal in this country many say what a crap summer we had.

Its basically an amazing summer over the continent middle/south west areas, having said that the same conditions would make skiing pretty hard to come by over the winter with high pressure ruling the alps.

Nothing wrong with 2300m, it just looks so pretty and easy lol... mind you a 7km run is excellent, skied somewhere in my distance past that had a 7km off piste run, might have been St Anton or Verbier.

[carinthian]

Another hot sunny day draws to a close in Austria. This summer is the 2nd warmest in 300 years! Records broken over many of the provinces with a summer surplus of +2.5c for many. Today reached +21c at 1600m with the humidity much higher today in the Carinthia Region.

C

Guten Morgan to all, well another hot sunny day dawns. The sub-tropical high right over us again. Another pulse of hot air peaks today with 33c widely forecast for regions below 1000m. Relentess heat and lack of rainfall has been the main feature of the summer. Looks like by the middle of next week a good 10c drop in temperature is most likely as a welcome cooler flow takes over, but will it produce much needed rain or storms ? We have to wait and watch.

C

[jethro]

Oh so you're the one who pinched our summer eh. Seems only fair that we get to pinch your winter in return.

 

 

 

 

I can but dream.....