PA #7: up to 70 cm of freshies already!

PA #7: up to 70 cm of freshies already!

The southern Alps already had between 30-70 cm of snow since Saturday and there’s so much more snow on its way! Finally the southern Alps are getting hammered. But not only the southern Alps become white again, the other regions in the Alps will also get loads of the fluffy white stuff. In this forecast:

  • Finally snow for the southern Alps
  • More snow on its way
  • PowderAdvice
  • Critical avalanche situation in the Alps

Finally snow for the southern Alps

It’s white again in the southern Alps. And it was about time. Check out these great images:

Airolo
Airolo
Andermatt
Andermatt
Madesimo
Madesimo

More snow on its way

Check out the list with all the centimeters and you’ll see lots of snow for the next 6 days. And there’s more to come. Today started sunny, but at the end of the day it starts snowing again in the western Alps. The front will kick in from the west and the snowline can be found around 1200-1700 meters, but it will drop rapidly on Tuesday. A warm front will come in from the southwest and will bring snow to the southern Alps on Tuesday (snow line between 800 and 1400 meters). The northern Alps will get some snow on Wednesday, so pretty much every region in the Alps will get lots of snow. The sun will come out every now and then on Thursday. By the end of this week the current will turn to the northwest again. The snow line fluctuates between 800 and 1500 meters throughout the week, and the Föhn wind will let the temperatures rise even further in the northern Alps. Fortunately there’s no precipitation, so it’s not that bad. The wind that changes directions and strength all the time is worse. Watch for lots of wind-drifted snow above the treeline and an increased avalanche danger.

PowderAdvice

The snow cover in the southern Alps will be too thin till Wednesday, so hold your horses. There won’t be that much snow coming down in the northern Alps the first couple of days and the Föhn wind will be pretty strong. Tuesday will be easy. A new front arrives from the west and it will start snowing in the western Alps in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday. You’ll find the best snow (and a base) in the French Alps on Tuesday. The advice for Tuesday:

The snowfall will extend into the southern Alps in the night to Wednesday, but the northern Alps will also get some freshies. Hopefully the base layer will be sufficient in the southern Alps. Wednesday will be good in:

You can ride powder in pretty much every region in the Alps on Thursday and the French northern Alps are looking good from Friday to Sunday. More details about where to go this weekend will be published the next couple of days. Because more snow is forecasted from Thursday. It’s a good idea to block the weekend of 12-14 February. It will be a powder weekend!

Critical avalanche situation in the Alps

It’s a strange winter in the Alps. The snow came late and the snow cover is still unstable in a lot of places. The snowfall in the southern Alps won’t solve that problem the next couple of days. There is no such thing as a base in the southern Alps, and if it’s there it’s just as bad as in the rest of the Alps. If you don’t have any knowledge it’s hard to recognize the dangers. You should always use risk filtering methods to make the right decisions, no matter how big the stoke is. Always check your local avalanche forecast and adapt your plans to it. Always carry an avalanche beacon, shovel and probe. If you have no knowledge, go out with a mountain guide.

Stay stoked, Morris

meteomorris

Replies

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StorpotatisenAuthor8 February 2016 · 16:38

Ohhh, this sounds really good. Flight booked this thursday… :-)

~~Storpotatisen~~
Expert
DudeAuthor8 February 2016 · 18:53

Hey @@Meteomorris

sounds pretty nice. What do you think will be better on Wednesday, Höchfügen or Fieberbrunn. I’m not sure at all.
Thanks

The Dude abides.
Expert
meteomorrisAuthor9 February 2016 · 13:31

@@Dude I would go towards Vorarlberg (more freshies)

powfinder.com
Tourist
EhrnstAuthor9 February 2016 · 13:46

Hi Meteomorris

Thanks for a great site and your sharing of knowledge.

Flying to Milano Next wednesday, planed to go to Alagna , but Engelberg ( or any other place within 3-4 hours drive is possible) Loooking for POW :-) Any thoughts ?

Thanks again

Br

Ehrnst

Expert
meteomorrisAuthor9 February 2016 · 13:48

@@Ehrnst next wednesday? Send me a reminder on Monday and I will give you a customized advice!

powfinder.com
Expert
EpUAuthor9 February 2016 · 17:26

Hi meteomorris,

going on a trip this thursday. First place to go would be Courmayeur and for the weekend till early next week we thought about Chamonix. “Unfortunally” the weather forecast shows snowfall for most of the weekend and the high alpine will probably be closed and not possible.

Any advices if southern Wallis/Switzerland would be a better option under that circumstances? We would like to avoid big crowds in France and tracked out terrain in the woods in Chamonix.

Thx in advance.

EpU

Tourist
8611Author9 February 2016 · 18:57

I’m in similar boat EpU, but I’m stuck with Zurich or Munich flights so can’t rally make it to France. Didn’t fancy queues there or all the powder hounds either but it looks like it’ll get the most snow.

Not sure if Arlberg will be worth it this weekend - not much snow forecast, what do you think Morris? Would be skiing Friday to Sunday, but worried about wind and rising temps. Resort website not showing much snow those days.

Expert
meteomorrisAuthor10 February 2016 · 12:22

@@EpU @@8611 I would chose for the resorts south of the main alpine ridge. It stays cooler there , there is a good base within the trees and there is snow in the forecast. I would go for: Courmayeur or La Thuile. Saint Rhemy en Bosses will also be good.

powfinder.com
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