Worldwide Mountain & Snow Sports Discussion 2019/20

[Blessed Weather]

11 hours ago, gareth moo said:

Many thanks Malcolm.

Hoping for an early season powder skiing treat over the Christmas week at La Plagne. Fingers crossed that the ill-placed predicted HP South East of the Alps doesn't verify next week!

Fantastic! Great skiing/boarding in La Plagne and well worth taking the cross-valley cable car over to Les Arcs for epic skiing over there too. Both LP and LA have great snow conditions at the moment and look set for an amazing start to their seasons this weekend. Current depths are:

LP Upper 100cms Lower 30cms
LA Upper 150cms Lower 80cms.

Here's the view from Roche de Mio, La Plagne, yesterday:

And the forecast for the rest of this week is for another 80cms of snowfall in LP.

Snow accum from today to midnight Sat 14th:

It would take exceptional weather conditions to mess things up for the Christmas week. A high pressure is not necessarily bad news as the temps are likely to be sub-zero overnight and on north facing slopes no real damage will be done by day. Hope you do it and have a great week.

[gareth moo]

8 hours ago, Blessed Weather said:

Fantastic! Great skiing/boarding in La Plagne and well worth taking the cross-valley cable car over to Les Arcs for epic skiing over there too. Both LP and LA have great snow conditions at the moment and look set for an amazing start to their seasons this weekend. Current depths are:

LP Upper 100cms Lower 30cms
LA Upper 150cms Lower 80cms.

Here's the view from Roche de Mio, La Plagne, yesterday:

And the forecast for the rest of this week is for another 80cms of snowfall in LP.

Snow accum from today to midnight Sat 14th:

It would take exceptional weather conditions to mess things up for the Christmas week. A high pressure is not necessarily bad news as the temps are likely to be sub-zero overnight and on north facing slopes no real damage will be done by day. Hope you do it and have a great week.

Looks fantastic on all of the webcams at present. They are selling sunrise passes for Saturday morning that allow a limited number of customers to access the first lift-served runs of the season. That would be epic!

Many thanks again Malcolm.

[Harve]

On 08/12/2019 at 21:45, gareth moo said:

Evening all. Any thoughts on the week ahead in the French Alps? The Snow Forecast site seems to be flip flopping hugely between freezing levels for next Friday 13th and what could be a really significant early season event. Am I right in thinking that this website uses the GFS model for its data? What's the likely snowline verification folks?

It has been around 600-700m today, but followed by a Foehn over the weekend. Temperatures all over the place this week, but for the most part very good news if you like skiing.

 

edit: originally linked an article from 11th November, not today.

Edited December 11, 2019 by Harve

[carinthian]

Lovely start to Sunday morning to ski in perfect conditions on the Katschberg.

C

[carinthian]

Snow today at my old stomping ground, Pendle Ski Club in the East Lancs Pennines.

 C

[Duane S.]

As I’m off to the Western Alps again for Christmas this year, I’ve been glued to the charts etc over the past 10 days (even more than normal ). 

Regards the week of Christmas itself, it’s been fairly open. GFS Op / GEFS has been keener than the most of the others to drop more energy southeast next weekend through eastern France, in the form of a more organised slightly deeper closed off low. Whilst not one for lording the American model normally, I have noticed it has handled this aspect quite well over the past few weeks (18z op I note tailed off a fraction, but it’s still there).

Thereafter, whilst deep cold looks a very long shot, I’d say it is still a little up in the air. With the village itself only being about 1,150m, it doesn’t look too promising. But we are staying at 1,600m on the slope, so hopefully a bit of the white stuff from the passing system and again later on in the week, and not too much of the horrible wet stuff! No worse sound than hearing that noise against the chalet windows!

 

[Tim Bland]

Keep us posted on your thoughts @s4lancia .  I’m off to northern French Alps between Xmas and New Year.l and expect many other members will be too.  A warm week coming up for the Alps (esp East) with some melt, but Looks good for a dump  in all areas Fri / Sat / Sun

[johnholmes]

On 15/12/2019 at 17:20, carinthian said:

Snow today at my old stomping ground, Pendle Ski Club in the East Lancs Pennines.

 C

Yes remember that well from my days at Manchester WC with Derek Fleck!

[johnholmes]

Looking at the Jungfrau region, not a lot of direct info but it all looks much like strong Fohn winds once again stopping all ski lifts/gondolas etc, and yet again, stripping snow off the slopes them selves

BERGFEX-Webcams Jungfrau Ski Region Grindelwald - Wengen - Webcam Jungfrau Ski Region Grindelwald - Wengen - Cams

WWW.BERGFEX.COM

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Jungfrau Ski Region Grindelwald - Wengen : Switzerland - Jungfraujoch - Live pictures - Webcams - Webcam - Bernese Oberland - Livecam - Cams - Weather camera - Ski resort - Ski area -

 

[carinthian]

19 minutes ago, johnholmes said:

Yes remember that well from my days at Manchester WC with Derek Fleck!

Derek ( Filey) Fleck !  Yes, nice part of the world around Pendle Hill. Used this ski -club quite a lot when I lived in Skipton. Very friendly set up and produced some good skiers. Dave Riding competing a high level in the international slalom scene presently.

 C

[matty40s]

I remember skiing up there in the 1980s, they used to shovel all the snow off the plastic in those days, we also ski-ed up the back of Helvellyn on Raise, with what was just a rope tow and homemade ropesnatchers to hall yourself up, subsequently(and now, a Poma was installed.)

[Harve]

On 11/12/2019 at 21:03, Harve said:

It has been around 600-700m today, but followed by a Foehn over the weekend. Temperatures all over the place this week, but for the most part very good news if you like skiing.

 

edit: originally linked an article from 11th November, not today.

This foehn is back and has produced some very eerie temperatures for the time of year: 15c yesterday and 16.5c today. Did my bike commute from work in a t-shirt this afternoon. 

 

Consequently the mountains look very stripped of snow, even at 1800m, given how loaded they were last week.

[J10]

Snow-forecast Charts

https://www.snow-forecast.com/

Further precipitation likely across the Alps for the next 6 days. Looking at Day 0-3 there is quite a lot of rain expected on the map, indicating that freezing levels are likely to be quite high.

For days 4-6 there are localised areas in the North West with over 1m of snow, but less precipitation for many parts of the Alps.

Resort focus

Tignes - Hotspot area for snow, this general area will see a fair amount of snow over the Next 6 days, Snow Levels are likely to be over 2000m to start, this dropping over the weekend.

Other parts of the Alps are likely to largely miss out.

At 1500m Moderate rainfall expected until Friday (30mm), before this turns to snow over the weekend. (50cm)
At 1500m Light snow for Thursday, 25cm of snow Friday, Drier early Saturday, before heavy snowfall late Saturday into Monday, with a risk of over 150cm of fresh snow.

[Harve]

Grenoble and Albertville both hit 20c this week.

Edited December 19, 2019 by Harve

[carinthian]

Horrible conditions today in the Eastern Alps. Full Fohn affect. Temps nearly 10c at 1500m. Snow melting away very quickly at the moment. Just have to sit back and wait. All very frustrating in the resorts. Cancellations coming in now.

 C

[ArHu3]

1 hour ago, carinthian said:

Horrible conditions today in the Eastern Alps. Full Fohn affect. Temps nearly 10c at 1500m. Snow melting away very quickly at the moment. Just have to sit back and wait. All very frustrating in the resorts. Cancellations coming in now.

 C

How's the snow in Tirol and higher up?

[Harve]

Torrential rain at 10c this afternoon which is further bad news, but fortunately it's forecast to get a fair bit colder.

 

Still waiting for the first snowfall since February at 500m. 

[Coopsy]

 Great conditions at Sunshine Village and ski hills in that area (Alberta Canada)

 

[johnholmes]

On 17/12/2019 at 18:49, matty40s said:

I remember skiing up there in the 1980s, they used to shovel all the snow off the plastic in those days, we also ski-ed up the back of Helvellyn on Raise, with what was just a rope tow and homemade ropesnatchers to hall yourself up, subsequently(and now, a Poma was installed.)

I skied for 3 or 4 years, when suitable in Edale on the pull rope, great fun! Also a short steep run almost into Chape-en-le-Frithl on the RHS, long before the by pass. The run ended with a very solid Derbyshire dry stone wall. One quickly learnt sharp left or right turns!

Edited December 20, 2019 by johnholmes

[johnholmes]

This shows what high winds can do to uphill transport

Nothing moving by rail, tele-cabin, gondola, chair left. Lots of snow predicted over the coming days

MeteoSwiss

WWW.METEOSWISS.ADMIN.CH

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Acting on behalf of the Federal Government, MeteoSwiss provides various weather and climate services for the protection and benefit of Switzerland.

 

click on weather overview on LH side, scroll down and enter twon etc you want a detailed forecast for, ie Wengen 3820 I think it is

sorry 3823

Edited December 20, 2019 by johnholmes

[carinthian]

50 minutes ago, ArHu3 said:

How's the snow in Tirol and higher up?

Hi there, currently strong Fohn affect in the West Tirol. Serfaus/ Fiss 8c at 1200m. Snow holding at 2000m where temps closer to 0c. Snowfall level down to 1000-1400m by early next week. So hopefully , loose the Fohn conditions.

 C

[carinthian]

On 17/12/2019 at 18:49, matty40s said:

I remember skiing up there in the 1980s, they used to shovel all the snow off the plastic in those days, we also ski-ed up the back of Helvellyn on Raise, with what was just a rope tow and homemade ropesnatchers to hall yourself up, subsequently(and now, a Poma was installed.)

I remember one snowy spell in the late 60s, a enterprising farmer in the Wildboarclough area in the Macclesfield Hills set up a pulley rope lift powered by his tractor. Think he charged £1 for a days ski-ing. Great fun ski-ing under Cheshires Little Matterhorn, Shuttlingslow. Those winters in the 60s were almost snow sure guaranteed , honestly !!

 C

[Tim Bland]

UKMO run looks good for Eastern Alps. ECM encouraging for all towards new year ....

[Duane S.]

On 16/12/2019 at 08:51, Tim Bland said:

Keep us posted on your thoughts @s4lancia .  I’m off to northern French Alps between Xmas and New Year.l and expect many other members will be too.  A warm week coming up for the Alps (esp East) with some melt, but Looks good for a dump  in all areas Fri / Sat / Sun

 

On 15/12/2019 at 22:26, s4lancia said:

As I’m off to the Western Alps again for Christmas this year, I’ve been glued to the charts etc over the past 10 days (even more than normal ). 

Regards the week of Christmas itself, it’s been fairly open. GFS Op / GEFS has been keener than the most of the others to drop more energy southeast next weekend through eastern France, in the form of a more organised slightly deeper closed off low. Whilst not one for lording the American model normally, I have noticed it has handled this aspect quite well over the past few weeks (18z op I note tailed off a fraction, but it’s still there).

Thereafter, whilst deep cold looks a very long shot, I’d say it is still a little up in the air. With the village itself only being about 1,150m, it doesn’t look too promising. But we are staying at 1,600m on the slope, so hopefully a bit of the white stuff from the passing system and again later on in the week, and not too much of the horrible wet stuff! No worse sound than hearing that noise against the chalet windows!

 

In the years I've been 'micro monitoring' the weather before going off to the Alps over Christmas, this year has been, by far, the trickiest to get a firm handle on!

I will be in Les Gets, NW Alps and that I have to say I am very pleased that the GFS / GEFS looks to have nailed it earlier than the Euros. Some of those ECM charts a week back for this weekend were rather unpalletable to put it politely!

(ps, I don't know why I typed '1600M' for where I'm staying, more like 1300M unfortunately!)

Anyway, I am feeling reasonably confident for the following now...

A solid dumping over the next 48 hours+. Just about OK at my resort level (for most of the time at least). There's Avoriaz if not anyway.

Thereafter possibly turning back into rain for a further 12 hours(ish) to follow on early next week. Shame, but as long as it doesn't hammer down for a couple of days the snow (that hopefully fell beforehand) should hold up reasonably well.

Thereafter looks to be drying up. A bit of a warm up looks likely over Xmas itself, and sunny(ish) / with very little PPN. Although This could change should the ridging high edge further west and could then keep things cooler and a tad more unsettled. Nothing severe, just seasonable.

And if it does (OK not the formhorse on the charts as a whole, but IMO is quite possible given current synoptics), I wouldn't be surpsised to see it turning a lot colder and further snowfall for the following weekend when we are leaving (hopefully with an amazing week of skiing under our belts! )

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by s4lancia

[Blessed Weather]

For all those heading off to the Alps this weekend for Christmas, have a fantastic time! It's looking like a good start to the week for resorts above around 1,600m with some decent snowfall across a wide swathe of the Alps this weekend, starting tonight (Friday 20th):

NMM cumulative snowfall to Mon 23rd:

Unfortunately a fluctuating freezing level (FL) a problem for the next 36 hours for resorts below around 1,600m. But from later Sunday and into Monday FL drops to 1,000m or lower. Netweather Alps charts using GFS data. French Alps doing best:

Sun  Mon 

And for Christmas Day some snow for the Austrian Alps if this evening's GFS is on the money:

It's worth checking the local country's forecast as they use their own models or ECM rather than GFS:

France: http://www.meteofrance.com/previsions-meteo-montagne
Austria: https://www.wetter.at/wetter/sport-freizeit/ski-wetter