It’s getting exciting. The high pressure area Xerxes will brings snow and lots of wind towards the eatern Alps where as it rwill get sunny (and warm) in the western and southern Alps.
Actual
We saw 10-30 cm of freshies on Wednesday morning in the Northern French Alps, so I hope you got my first chair alarm on time and didn’t miss it. Even better was my first chair alarm for the Pyrenees where they got 20-40 cm of fresh powder. It was a nice day, but warmer air is already moving in.
Storm, snow and rain
The weather chart above shows the warm and cold sector that will move in from Thursday till Saturday. Temperatures will go up, but it looks like that orographic effects and the cold air in the inneralpine valleys will temper the warmth. Better formulated… there are powderdays to come. Treeruns between 1400 en 2000 meters will be in shape although the stormy winds might cause some troubles.
Powderlalert #12
It is time for powderalert#12 already. The first clouds will be moving in on Thursday and in between Flumserberg and Hochkar we might see the first flurries fall down. Snowlevels will be around 1700 meters in the west and 1100 meters in the east. At first snowlevels might even be lower in the inner alpine valleys of the Salzburgerland and Steiermark on Thursday and Friday.
I do expect the biggest dumps on Friday and Saturday. Accompanied bij stormy winds snowlevels will be around 900 and 1300 meters in the Salzburgerland and Steiermark. The snow will dry above and cold 1400 to 1700 meters. I do expect 30-60 cm of fresh powdeer and in some spots even more. Be aware of huge snowaccuulations caused by the wind and take notice the the danger of avalanches will go up to 3 (considerable) or even 4 (high)
The amounts of fresh snow will be way smaller and snowlevels will be significantly higher in Tirol, Voralberg and Eastern Switzerland). Some hints for the days to come. The treeruns of for example Zauchensee, Hochkar, Hinterstoder, Tauplitz or Hochkonig will be in great shape in between 1500 till 2000 meters. Of course you can also make your own filter through this link.
At that time it’s already dry and warm in the western and southern Alps.
Long term
Due to an upcoming high pressure area it will get dry after Saturday. This means sunny days and cold nights. The snow has some time to settle and gives you the opportunity to use your skins and score some powder.
Powderadvice
The treeruns Zauchensee, Hochkar, Hinterstoder, Tauplitz or Hochkonig on Friday and Saturday. Sunday we will see the latest flurries and especcially north faces above 1800 meters will be in shape with an additional 50 cm of powder on Sunday afternoon and Monday . Go East, go Explore!
Stay stoked
Morris