Already up to 150 cm fresh powder, wet and heavy snow below 1500 meters, cooler today and wax up for powderalert#13 that will start next weekend. The winter is slowly coming back.
Warm
It’s to warm in the Alps since mid december. Okay, there were some colder periodes and we had some snow, but generally it was to mild in the Alps. This will change after friday the 11th. Finally, because the last 3 powder alerts were complex and a matter of timing. Something which is normal for this time of year.
The good thing is that the snowpack could stabilize during these mild 3 weeks. The majority of weak layers deeper in the snowpack is gone and snow profiles show way better results than in mid december. Still there are regions where the snowpack is weaker. Especialy the inner alpine regions in Switzerland (Graubunden and the Engadin) and Austria (Tirol and the Salzburgerland) do have weaker layers deeper in the snowpack.
Up to150 cm of fresh powder
But it is the huge snowfall in eastern Tirol, the Salzburgerland and Steiermark that is causing the biggest problems. The mix of huge snowfalls, weaker upper layers and a lot of wind has pushed the danger of avalanches towards 4 (HIGH) in these regions. Luckely the snow was pretty wet below 1500-1700 meters and as a result the new snowpack could easily consolidate with the old layer.
And temperatures are dropping in Steiermark and the Northeast of Salzburgerland. New snow will be cooler and powder will be available in the trees.
Short termi
Snowfalls continue in the east (Salzburgerland and Steiermark), where as it is warm and sunny in the west. Zero level degree in the western and southern Alps is around 2500 meter, around 1800-2200 meters in Switzerland and western Austria and around 1300 meters, dropping towards 1000 meters in Salzburgerland and Steiermark. This afternoon there may be some sunny spots which can deliver dream seconds or minutes in the OT and Badgastein. This evening a new front is moving in. This ail bring an additional 20-40 cm in the nordstau of Salzburgerland and Steiermark until monday afternoon.
Powderadvice Salzburgerland and Steiermark
Sunday: resorts between 1700 and 2300 meters. Some sunny spots, but the avalanche danger is HIGH.
Monday: treeruns between 1200 and 1800 meters are top!
Tuesday: sunny, all resorts above 1200 meters in Salzburgerland and Steiermark are in top condition.
Long term, powderalert#13
The Alps are west of the jet stream and as a result the air is to warm.
But it will be colder at the end of the week. The jet stream is losing power and as a result colder air can track south.
All models do show this drop of temperatures.
Exactly one month after the start of a milder period winter will be back. Details are hard to predict at this moment since the jet stream is getting weaker and weaker. As a result there is no accelerator for storm and fronts moving in. Therefor it is hard to pinpoint on which mountain range they will focus there clouds and snow. But it will get colder, snow is coming and you may wax up for powderalert#13. More details to come.
Enjoy the (heavy) powder in eastern Tirol, the Salzburgerland and Steiermark today, Monday and Tuesday .
Stay stoked
Morris