PA#8: 20-50 cm of fresh snow! It's time for powder and espresso!

PA#8: 20-50 cm of fresh snow! It's time for powder and espresso!

It’s been snowing in the Italian Piedmont since Wednesday and already 20-40 cm, locally up to 50 cm, of fresh snow came down above 2000 meters. The snow line can be found deep in the valleys. It has been snowing in the north of the Piedmont, Aosta, Ticino and the Upper Engadine as well since last night. There’s room for the sun on Saturday and Sunday. Perfect conditions to enjoy the powder in the larch forests during the weekend. There’s still a change of snow for the southern Piedmont after the weekend, but the rest of the Alps will have to deal with a string high pressure area. This will keep storms at a distance and you can expect sunshine, higher temperatures and no precipitation in the Alps. In this forecast:

  • Snow in the northwest of Italy
  • Forecast for the weekend: more sunshine
  • Where to ride powder this weekend?
  • Unstable weather in the southern Piedmont next week
  • Long term: no precipitation and higher temperatures
  • Discount on Mountain Academy

Snow in the northwest of Italy

It’s been snowing heavily in the Italian Piedmont since Wednesday. The front is moving to the east right now (towards the resorts at the border with Switzerland) after 60 hours of snowfall in the western and southern Piedmont.

Current snowfall in the Piedmont
Current snowfall in the Piedmont

The western and southern Piedmont got a lot of fresh snow.

Bardonecchia
Bardonecchia
Limone Piemonte
Limone Piemonte

It’s been snowing in the the north of the Piedmont, the Aosta, Ticino and the Upper-Engadin since Thursday. You can expect between 5-20 cm of fresh snow, but locally even 30 cm. Check out the images below.

Champorcher
Champorcher
Macugnaga
Macugnaga
Airolo
Airolo
San Domenico
San Domenico
Alpe Devoro
Alpe Devoro
Saint Vincent
Saint Vincent
Bognanco
Bognanco
Domobianca
Domobianca
Italian side of the Simplon
Italian side of the Simplon

Forecast for the weekend: more sunshine

The weather in the Alps will stabilize next week, due to the fact that storm Olli (responsible for the snowfall the last couple of days) is moving to the south. You can expect more sunshine, disappearing clouds and rising temperatures.

Where to ride powder this weekend?

You can ride powder in the western and southern Piedmont and the eastern parts of the Aosta, the north of the Piedmont and Ticino. You can find my PowderAdvice for the weekend below. Still looking for accommodation? Click directly on one of the resorts and book yourself a powder adventure.

It is not only white in the Piedmont, but you can still find nice powder in many parts of the western Alps, although you have to go deeper into the backcountry. Besides the Piedmont, you can also find good snow in the next regions.

You can also find good snow in the east of Switzerland and the north of Austria, but the conditions are not as good as the regions mentioned earlier. Don’t forget to have fun! You can book your accommodation here.

Low pressure area Pierre
Low pressure area Pierre

Unstable weather in the southern Piedmont next week

A strong current from the southeast will get started between a powerful high pressure area over the continent and active storm Pierre in the southwest. This will keep the current from the south going strong and the northern Alps will have to keep dealing with the effects of a Föhn from the south. The air that’s coming in is warm and this means you can expect weather with mild temperatures and no precipitation in the northern and western Alps.

Föhn from the south
Föhn from the south

The air coming in from the south will hit the south side of the Alps. The combination of large differences in air pressure and the fact that the current will hit the Alps from the Po Valley can result in some snowfall for the Italian Piedmont next week. The snow line will still be around 900 meters at first, but will rise towards 1500 meters altitude the days after. I’m not sure about the amounts of snow that will come down, but I’ll keep you posted.

Long term: no precipitation and higher temperatures

The models are indicating dry and especially mild weather until the end of next week. The snow on southern faces will become pretty wet. How long this period will last? No idea. I’ll keep you posted.

Have fun this weekend! But pay attention: the combination of lots of fresh snow, heavy winds, a fluctuating temperature and problems in the excisting snow cover claimed the life of a freerider from Russia in Valfréjus last weekend. Please, keep asking yourself the following questions:

  • Do you have the right knowledge?
  • Do you (and the other riders in your group) have the gear (avalanche beacon, shovel and probe)?
  • Have you read the local avalanche forecast?
  • Do you know which parts of the mountain you have to avoid that particular day to minimize the risk?

Discount on Mountain Academy

Want access to the most comprehensive online backcountry snow safety courses for skiers and snowboarders? Use code “ALTENMARKT1617”, valid until the end of February, to get access for only 9€ (Reg: 29€). Go to Mountain Academy and start now!

Stay stoked. Morris

meteomorris
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