Alps & Pyrenees Snow Thread 2015/16

[carinthian]

A much nicer day in your area Paul than the Jungfrau, all pisted and made ready, tables, chairs out at the restaurants yesterday, today=snow and fog on the mountain.

http://www.bahnhof-scheidegg.ch/default.asp?itemid=107〈=e

All the details and photos/videos on this link for the area

http://www.jungfrau.ch/tourismus/reiseinfos/webcams/webcams/

Must be windy on the Murren-Shilthorn side as the cable car and funicular are not operating

Hello John, Looks a bit bleak on the Jungfrau. Those are the type of days I stay near a log fire drinking copious amounts of hot tea ! Yes, nice day here, a great day to be out and about and see if the older legs can get going again, I am sure you know what I mean. The kids from the local ski club and racing up and down the slalom course right now with no fear and bags of energy. Its great to watch them. They are lucky to live in area like this.

 

C

[johnholmes]

Yes, it does make me long for the days gone by when I could ski morning and afternoon. Now some very gentle skiing straddling the lunch break, maybe 3 hours in total. Still it is wonderful to be able to do that in such fabulous scenery. 30 years on and the area still seems as magical as the first visit. Not long to go now. Enjoy your skiing and scenery, I do envy you living there.

[Blessed Weather]

The last 7 days have been excellent for the Alps with some good snowfall for most resorts and low temperatures. Unfortunately the coming week sees the weather pendulum swing the other direction with some sunny and warm days as High Pressure builds over the Alps. The saving grace is that the strong 'blow-torch' SW'ly winds stay to the North of the Alps and that some clear nights in the mountains will allow temperatures to fall below freezing. Towards the end of the week models currently show a cold front moving in from the NW - but more on that nearer the time.

 

To illustrate the coming week with a few charts, here is the GFS 850 hPa, the freezing level at 12.00 and then at 06.00 the following morning, for Tues & Thurs.

 

Tues

 

Thur

[Winter2009]

My daughter is off to Salzburger Sportwelt on 12th December can anyone point me in the right direction for a decent webcam so I can keep an eye on conditions.

[Blessed Weather]

My daughter is off to Salzburger Sportwelt on 12th December can anyone point me in the right direction for a decent webcam so I can keep an eye on conditions.

 

Here's the webcam page from the official Salzburger Sportwelt website. http://www.salzburgersportwelt.com/en/resorts/webcams.html

 

Or you could try this website that lists even more webcams. Scroll down to the 'Webcams Salzburg' list and you'll see all the 'Ski Amade' resorts. With this website you can choose webcam images from previous hours of the day or even previous days. http://www.bergfex.com/oesterreich/webcams/

 

Fingers crossed for a change back to colder/snowier weather for your daughter's trip.

[J10]

Here's the webcam page from the official Salzburger Sportwelt website. http://www.salzburgersportwelt.com/en/resorts/webcams.html

 

Or you could try this website that lists even more webcams. Scroll down to the 'Webcams Salzburg' list and you'll see all the 'Ski Amade' resorts. With this website you can choose webcam images from previous hours of the day or even previous days. http://www.bergfex.com/oesterreich/webcams/

 

Fingers crossed for a change back to colder/snowier weather for your daughter's trip.

 

Cheers for that webcam link Malcolm.

[Blessed Weather]

With milder weather conditions in the Alps this week I thought I'd check the latest temperature forecasts for a couple of resorts. As expected, the sunny days and clear nights with light/variable winds are giving freeze/thaw conditions. Here are the min and max temps, and although only two resorts are looked at, it (not surprisingly) suggests the eastern Alps are colder than the western Alps:

Les Deux Alpes (Meteo France data) - Wed -5/+12, Thurs -2/+11, Fri -5/+10, Sat -0/+8, Sun -0/+9 

 

Katschberg (Wetter.at data) - Wed -1/+4, Thurs -3/+4, Fri -7/+1, Sat -5/+0, Sun -5/+1

Interestingly, the temperature profiles from the popular skiing website, snowforecast.com, vary notably from the above (at the same altitude), with Katschberg milder and Les Deux Alpes colder. (Carinthian - any thoughts/feedback on who's closer to reality over in Katschberg?).

Les Deux Alpes    Katschberg 

[markyo]

http://fuschertoerl.panomax.com/

Slightly different view but still never get bored of seeing this in the high alps!

[J10]

The latest snow update from Ski Club GB giving European latest conditions have been posted. I have given the summary below, the detailed version is available at the links provided.

Link http://www.snow-forecast.com/overviews/tips_full and http://www.skiclub.co.uk/

SNOW NEWS UPDATED 3 DECEMBER 2015

INTRODUCTION The skiing conditions across Europe on Thursday 3rd December were of sunny skies overhead providing excellent visibility to enjoy the snow cover on the groomed runs. There is some off-piste skiing to enjoy but this can be limited. The best skiing can be enjoyed at the higher resorts, and in particular those with a glacier ski area. However, modern snow making facilities mean that there is good on-piste snow cover lower down at many resorts too.

EUROPEAN WEATHER OUTLOOK Relatively stable weather is expected over the weekend and for the first few days of next week across the continental European skiing locations. The freezing level is expected to peak out around 3,000m at the end of this week before descending back down to around 2,000m next week. Cloudier weather could move in over the Austrian resorts around the middle of next week, and a little later in the week for France, Italy and Austria. This could all change though, as a week can be a long time as far as weather patterns and mountains are concerned. Further north, in Scotland we are expecting to see cloudier skies over the weekend with a chance of rain and snow. In Scandinavia predominantly cloudy and snowy weather is forecast.

Edited December 3, 2015 by J10

[Blessed Weather]

23 hours ago, J10 said:

The latest snow update from Ski Club GB giving European latest conditions have been posted. I have given the summary below, the detailed version is available at the links provided.

Link http://www.snow-forecast.com/overviews/tips_full and http://www.skiclub.co.uk/

SNOW NEWS UPDATED 3 DECEMBER 2015

INTRODUCTION The skiing conditions across Europe on Thursday 3rd December were of sunny skies overhead providing excellent visibility to enjoy the snow cover on the groomed runs. There is some off-piste skiing to enjoy but this can be limited. The best skiing can be enjoyed at the higher resorts, and in particular those with a glacier ski area. However, modern snow making facilities mean that there is good on-piste snow cover lower down at many resorts too.

EUROPEAN WEATHER OUTLOOK Relatively stable weather is expected over the weekend and for the first few days of next week across the continental European skiing locations. The freezing level is expected to peak out around 3,000m at the end of this week before descending back down to around 2,000m next week. Cloudier weather could move in over the Austrian resorts around the middle of next week, and a little later in the week for France, Italy and Austria. This could all change though, as a week can be a long time as far as weather patterns and mountains are concerned. Further north, in Scotland we are expecting to see cloudier skies over the weekend with a chance of rain and snow. In Scandinavia predominantly cloudy and snowy weather is forecast.

Hi Julian. I had noticed your post this morning before setting off to work but didn't have time to respond. I intended saying please post it all as per last year. But this evening I see you've trimmed the post down to Intro and Outlook, leaving out each individual country detail.  And now I'm dithering, thinking I prefer the short snappy version, but with the link to the full report, so people can look at country detail if they want (so maybe mention "full report with country detail here"). But the bottom line - I'm happy with either (but only when they show deep snow and cold in the Alps!).

[Blessed Weather]

Arrghh! Not what any skier/boarder wants to read as we move into December. This from oesterreich-wetter.com:

Seven degrees in Obertauern, even ten degrees on Katschberg - the much too warm start to December is accompanied by a thaw in the ski resorts. No new snow in sight. A double blow: The frost line is currently between 2,000 and 3,000 meters, snow is only in the high alpine area possible. And even there it's just damage control: The sun consumed during the day on the slopes of Vorarlberg to Lower Austria. Often there are only white bands, next to nothing but brown meadows. "For a week the snow guns are silent"

Still wanting to open this weekend, the first lifts in over 100 other ski areas. This happens only with difficulty: "We could not produce snow for a week," says Josef Fussi from the ski reesort in Lachtal (Styria).

Forecast. But for that it looks bad: "The next 15 days there is quiet high-pressure weather, there is no winter in sight," predicts ZAMG meteorologist Andreas Frank. Some of the 100 Ski Openings could still melt away shortly.

http://www.wetter.at/wetter/oesterreich-wetter/Ski-Openings-schwimmen-uns-davon/214498821

[carinthian]

Morning all . Another sunny day dawns. Last weeks snow base wearing thin. The local kids still out in force but its not for my liking. Have had good reports about a relative new resort in the far west reaches of the country called Damuls, high up village in the Bregenzerwald Region. Have decided to make a visit in January for a long weekend with some old ski buddies. Have skied several times in the nearby Montafon Region, I especially like Gargellen. That mountain that over looks Damuls is really the prototype for the one seen in the film, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, if you can remember that ! Really weird, want to get up close and report back .

[carinthian]

Damuls

[J10]

15 hours ago, Blessed Weather said:

Hi Julian. I had noticed your post this morning before setting off to work but didn't have time to respond. I intended saying please post it all as per last year. But this evening I see you've trimmed the post down to Intro and Outlook, leaving out each individual country detail.  And now I'm dithering, thinking I prefer the short snappy version, but with the link to the full report, so people can look at country detail if they want (so maybe mention "full report with country detail here"). But the bottom line - I'm happy with either (but only when they show deep snow and cold in the Alps!).

Malcolm, the thoughts were that we might need permission to copy the document in full, however by giving extracts and a full link we would be on safer ground.

[johnholmes]

not bad at height around the Jungfrau area, Eengen, Murren, Grindewald as the videos show, snow lying okay down to about 4600ft (Lauberhorn finish area)

http://panocam.skiline.cc/maennlichen/en-GB

[carinthian]

Another SUNday dawns. Not a cloud or snow flake in sight. Note the lone skier and empty lifts. Great for a sun tan top up and a cold beer me thinks. Looking forward to the match later today with Klopps team in action.

 C

Edited December 6, 2015 by carinthian

[johnholmes]

25 minutes ago, carinthian said:

Another SUNday dawns. Not a cloud or snow flake in sight. Note the lone skier and empty lifts. Great for a sun tan top up and a cold beer me thinks. Looking forward to the match later today with Klopps team in action.

 C

plenty of skiers out on the Lauberhorn and Mannlichen areas Paul, get the train!

 

[carinthian]

12 minutes ago, johnholmes said:

plenty of skiers out on the Lauberhorn and Mannlichen areas Paul, get the train!

 

John, fantastic web shots on the Jungfraubahn. Cannot download this. Maybe you can ? As you say lots or early skiers enjoying the weather on that picture. Bet you are getting excited to be going back to your second home. Have seen the pictures of the floods up north on our national television, looks grim. Anyway the relentless sunny conditions continue in our part of the world. Don't like man made snow but better than nothing.

 C

[seaside 60]

21 hours ago, johnholmes said:

not bad at height around the Jungfrau area, Eengen, Murren, Grindewald as the videos show, snow lying okay down to about 4600ft (Lauberhorn finish area)

http://panocam.skiline.cc/maennlichen/en-GB

Its totally empty now and its look fab, sunny skies and snow, looks perfect.

[seaside 60]

57 minutes ago, carinthian said:

Another SUNday dawns. Not a cloud or snow flake in sight. Note the lone skier and empty lifts. Great for a sun tan top up and a cold beer me thinks. Looking forward to the match later today with Klopps team in action.

 C

Just looked at the web cams for your area.

Apart from the pistes its look very green.....

[johnholmes]

current web cam shows a fair number of skiers close by the start hut for the Lauberhorn race, also snow cover shown down to the finish area. Obviously like most other resorts at that level it is starting to get thin.

http://panocam.skiline.cc/lauberhorn

the web cam shows Fist ski area above Gridnelwald and Mannlichen one of the ski areas above Wengen, also still shots of Wengen village and the finish area of the lauberhorn 3 races.

For sure the weather needs to change but still 30+days for this so I keep my fingers crossed and yes Paul, second home, 12-15 days in winter and 6-10 in summer every year.

sorry if this is boring other folk just put this on ignore.

 

Edited December 6, 2015 by johnholmes

[carinthian]

A lone skier yesterday on the AI run. A 7km magical run from Carinthia into The Lungau Valley.

[Ravelin]

Surely it can't go the whole of December without snowing in the Alps? Today's models not looking good in that respect, nothing much showing other that the odd brief shower or two.  Two poor starts to the season in a row ain't going to help the Xmas/New Year market. 

[carinthian]

Just now, Ravelin said:

Surely it can't go the whole of December without snowing in the Alps? Today's models not looking good in that respect, nothing much showing other that the odd brief shower or two.  Two poor starts to the season in a row ain't going to help the Xmas/New Year market. 

Ravelin, take a look at our own eco water supply. Well down with little snow feed or summer rains. Euro high taking its toll. Soon will have to put snow guns on rationing, that if it ever gets cold enough to use again ! Crap start to the season, not looking good. Worried about Christmas as charts not showing anything snowy or seasonal. The pictures taken yesterday.

 C

[carinthian]

That's the best way to spend Sunday afternoon. Looking south from Katschberg mountain towards Spittal.

C