Worldwide Mountain & Snow Sports Discussion 2017/18

[J10]

 

On 11/11/2017 at 13:09, Blessed Weather said:

Hi Julian. Go to Meteociel and scroll down to WRF NMM and select the WRF Alpes et Suisse (click on the Swiss flag).

When the chart loads on your screen, look just above the chart to the right. You should see a tiny GIF symbol.

Click on the GIF symbol and a pop-up loads. Enter the start and finish hour (handy if it's a 384 hour model run as you can select a certain period, but for snowfall accum it's only a 72 hour run, so I didn't alter). I always alter the pause time at the end (Temps de pause à la fin) to 3000ms as I think it helps emphasize the end of the sequence. Then click generate (generer) button and Meteociel starts creating the animation.

When Meteociel has finished creating it offers a number of options - you need to copy and paste the top link directly into your post (as you would a tweet). Within a second or two it turns into the animated GIF). Job done!! 

Cheers for that Malcolm.

I think I have uploaded it successfully, with further snow expected over the Alps this coming weekend, but not to the extent of last week.

[Blessed Weather]

1 minute ago, J10 said:

Cheers for that Malcolm.

I think I have uploaded it successfully, with further snow expected over the Alps this coming weekend, but not to the extent of last week.

Great stuff Julian - looks good! And if you want to show just the new snowfall that is forecast to fall (rather than starting the sequence showing what's already there and then being added to), choose the "Couche de neige depuis 0h" (snowfall since 0 hour). e.g. here's the new snowfall from this Fri through to Monday.....

[johnholmes]

The winter skiing/boarding begins on the Lauberhorn mountain

https://panocam.skiline.cc/lauberhorn

[J10]

20 hours ago, Blessed Weather said:

Great stuff Julian - looks good! And if you want to show just the new snowfall that is forecast to fall (rather than starting the sequence showing what's already there and then being added to), choose the "Couche de neige depuis 0h" (snowfall since 0 hour). e.g. here's the new snowfall from this Fri through to Monday.....

Cheers for that Malcolm, that is much better.

There certainly seems to be a wealth of information and options on that site.

 

[jules216]

Had my second winter fix this month again was lucky to time my holidays with the cold north westerly airflow this weekend,this is from a village called Sumiac in Low Tatras(Slovakia)at 900m.asl,one of many spectacularly remote settlements,where 50k will land you an amazing wooden type traditional house in the middle of unspoiled nature a home of many wolves and bears,back to Ireland today so know what to expect

[carinthian]

Temperatures rising in the warmer air mass today. Already see the dripping . Hope the warm air gets replaced sooner than later. We need to hold that base .

 C

[carinthian]

Lifts are open this morning in Obertauren. Lovely day for the first day of the ski-ing season. Will be making a visit on Sunday for a few runs if the sun shines, but think snow is forecast.

 C

[johnholmes]

7 hours ago, carinthian said:

Lifts are open this morning in Obertauren. Lovely day for the first day of the ski-ing season. Will be making a visit on Sunday for a few runs if the sun shines, but think snow is forecast.

 C

What a lovely view

[Blessed Weather]

A tweet about this coming weekend's weather....  but I'm also encouraged that the extended outlook from GFS and ECM continues to show promise for the Alps with regular incursions of cold air and precipitation. Say it quietly, but it's starting to look promising that conditions might be rather good as increasing numbers of resorts open.

NCEP European Temp Outlook to 10th Dec:

I'm off to the Yukon Territories in Northern Canada tomorrow for a two week holiday staying with my daughter who's emigrated over there. I'll be doing some skiing with her at Mt. Sima whilst there and will try and post some pics. The weather over there today is light snow, a temp of -23C and a windchill of -30C.

Edited November 24, 2017 by Blessed Weather
Tweet doesn't want to display properly!!

[johnholmes]

Enjoy BW, too cold by far for me, but look forward to your photos.

The Wengen area forecast suggests 20-30 cm for above the village and cold enough in the village from late Saturday for more snow again. Most ski lifts and runs are expected to open for the weekend with a full opening (fingers crossed) the following weekend.
 

[carinthian]

On ‎24‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 14:03, Blessed Weather said:

A tweet about this coming weekend's weather....  but I'm also encouraged that the extended outlook from GFS and ECM continues to show promise for the Alps with regular incursions of cold air and precipitation. Say it quietly, but it's starting to look promising that conditions might be rather good as increasing numbers of resorts open.

NCEP European Temp Outlook to 10th Dec:

I'm off to the Yukon Territories in Northern Canada tomorrow for a two week holiday staying with my daughter who's emigrated over there. I'll be doing some skiing with her at Mt. Sima whilst there and will try and post some pics. The weather over there today is light snow, a temp of -23C and a windchill of -30C.

Have a good trip Malcolm and enjoy your experience of way up north. Look forward to your photos and reports. Don't think I could sit on those chairlifts with wind chill of -30c. Good man. Take a hip flask of whisky/rum with you, you will need it.

 C

[carinthian]

On ‎23‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 09:27, carinthian said:

Lifts are open this morning in Obertauren. Lovely day for the first day of the ski-ing season. Will be making a visit on Sunday for a few runs if the sun shines, but think snow is forecast.

 C

Was to go here for lunch today but picture below shows a blizzard and -7c.  Best give it a miss !!

 C

[carinthian]

Joy. Perfect conditions in resort. Lifts open for the season on Friday morning.

 C

[Paul]

Looking great. Must be a huge relief to the resorts and businesses around them to get early snow after a few slow starts in a row. Christmas bookings must be starting to look pretty good  

[carinthian]

4 minutes ago, Paul said:

Looking great. Must be a huge relief to the resorts and businesses around them to get early snow after a few slow starts in a row. Christmas bookings must be starting to look pretty good  

Snow machines working hard on the base. Had a test run yesterday afternoon and felt like heaven with no one on the slopes. The piste workers have done a brilliant job and hope the cold snowy outlook for the run up to Christmas continues. Its going to be hard to attract the Brits this season with the present exchange rates not good for them. However, Austrian resorts offer the best value for money with lift pass , food and drink some of the cheapest in the Alps. Sure the apartments and hotels will have a good season. We are lucky being ski in/out at a resort height of 1540m asl and all pistes are served by an extensive network of snow making machines .

C

[Reefseeker]

Les Arcs looking snowy today, with light flakes continuing to fall and some lucky kids out enjoying the sledging:)

[carinthian]

Well here we go. Ready for the first runs of the season. Lifts open today in almost perfect conditions.

C

[J10]

Forecast  From 1st December

Here we are again, with the skiing season starting over the Alps and further afield. Even though we have only just started December, there has been a much better start to the season, with decent snow amounts  across the Alps quite widely, and far better than the early season snow drought seen in recent years.

Conditions over the Alps and indeed over much of Western Europe is cold at the moment, with winds from the North feeding in some very cold air.

It looks like staying cold over the weekend, with winds slowly veering to the East, with 850Hpa temps remaining below -5c. It is looking mostly dry for most of the Alps this weekend, however, some heavy snowfalls look likely for the Maritime Alps.

Next week the pattern is set to change with milder weather coming back in on the top of High-Pressure pressure ridging in from the west to South West, with 850Hpa temperatures around -2c to 0c, remaining mostly dry for most of the Alps, but always with the chance of snow for North Eastern parts of Austria more especially  for Monday into Tuesday.     

Hints of things turning milder for the middle of next week, before a risk of turning much colder again to end next week, but that is a long time away.

Charts

Synoptic Pattern

Freezing Levels -> Saturday, Monday Wednesday, Friday
In summary cold to start, turning steadily milder by midweek, before perhaps turning colder form the North by Next weekend.

Precipitation ->

Heavy snow possible for the Maritime Alps over the weekend, with snow for NE parts of Austria at the start of next week.

850Hpa over the Alps for the next 72 hours.

Edited December 1, 2017 by J10

[Blessed Weather]

Great to have the weekly updates back @J10.

Yesterday I spent a fantastic day skiing Mt. Sima, here in the Yukon Territory, Northern Canada. And one thing they don't have to worry about here is a mild spell spoiling the pistes! In fact, their problem is the cold and they have to close the mountain when the temp falls below -25C due to frostbite risk. I liked the disclaimer on their piste map that said "Dates and hours of operation may vary due to the whims of Mother Nature"!!

But yesterday it was a mere -18C and the only problem I had was my jacket froze to the back of the chairlift, which made disembarking at the top rather disconcerting the first time it happened! Oh, and my hands were freezing, although in fairness, constantly taking them out of my gloves to take photos didn't help. 

But at least the incredibly friendly and helpful folk here at the mountain have installed a 'warm-up hut' at the top station where you can go and sit in front of a wood-burning stove and do what it says on the tin - warm up!

Here's some pics from my day - the views were stunning and I hope the photos do the mountain justice.

[Ravelin]

Pistes in Mayrhofen opened today, making me insanely jealous watching the lucky ones on the Webcams getting some turns in. We should be arriving on boxing day, weather permitting, and I'm chomping at the bit. First season for ages it seems where I've not been looking are bare slopes and worrying about snowfall, or lack of, before our trip. 

[carinthian]

2 hours ago, Blessed Weather said:

Great to have the weekly updates back @J10.

Yesterday I spent a fantastic day skiing Mt. Sima, here in the Yukon Territory, Northern Canada. And one thing they don't have to worry about here is a mild spell spoiling the pistes! In fact, their problem is the cold and they have to close the mountain when the temp falls below -25C due to frostbite risk. I liked the disclaimer on their piste map that said "Dates and hours of operation may vary due to the whims of Mother Nature"!!

But yesterday it was a mere -18C and the only problem I had was my jacket froze to the back of the chairlift, which made disembarking at the top rather disconcerting the first time it happened! Oh, and my hands were freezing, although in fairness, constantly taking them out of my gloves to take photos didn't help. 

But at least the incredibly friendly and helpful folk here at the mountain have installed a 'warm-up hut' at the top station where you can go and sit in front of a wood-burning stove and do what it says on the tin - warm up!

Here's some pics from my day - the views were stunning and I hope the photos do the mountain justice.

Fantastic pictures. Really love it . What a place !.

 C

[carinthian]

Morning all from the top of the Katschberg .

 C

[Hotspur62]

LOOKS truly stunning and looks like it will be best start to ski season for quite a few years in both West and Eastern Alps.Would love to go skiing again but after smashing my knee up 20 years ago not able to sadly.Those who go this season have a great time.Think i will go in a few years with er indoors and just go walking in the snow and then enjoy the apres ski in the evening

[johnholmes]

6 weeks to go, If only it will be like this morning?

https://panocam.skiline.cc/maennlichen?cu=en-GB

[J10]

With the update on here on Friday, I deliberately experimented with new graphics, moreso than in a "proper" blog.

are they any that people like or don't like. Please be honest.

Also great to see the snow photos, they really are gorgeous and i am jealous.