PowderAlert #13 was deep, but complicated. The snow in the southeast was deep and too heavy and wet on Saturday. Only the western Piemonte was colder and got less freshies, which in this case was pretty good, because the lifts were open. The photos and videos from the southern Alps central and southern Alps east are historic. The amount of snow that you can find in those regions is two times, sometimes even three times the amount that’s normal for this time of the season. And there’s more to come.
The conditions are still not so good in parts of the northern Alps. Especially the eastern parts of Tirol, the Salzburgerland and Steiermark have to deal with a lack of snow and an unstable snow cover. The Freeride World Tour moved from Fieberbrunn to Kappl for a reason. In the meantime, we’re getting ready for PowderAlert #14. I’m on my way to the Monte Rosa area right now and will go La Grave just after that. And my karma is good, because I’ll right freshies on Tuesday and Wednesday in the Monte Rosa and it will start snowing in the western Alps on Wednesday.
What will happen?
The low pressure area Mayla is responsible for the dump. She’s pushing all the humidity to the southern Alps with a southeastern current and forces it to snow. The situation is exceptional and the result of a strong high pressure area that has been forming above Russia the last couple of days and that just won’t move. Mayla got nowhere to go and just keeps spinning round and round south of the Alps. And we all know the results: record snowfalls.
Fortunately, the air temperature is much lower again. The remainings of the jet stream could be found temporarily east of the Alps, and were pushing cold air into the Po-valley. The freezing level has dropped and will drop further to 900-1200 meters. The snow line will be around 600-900 meters. This will be another three days of deep powder in the southern Alps. Your best bet are the trees, avoid the high alpine and forest with steep slopes above them.
Powder advice Monday to Wednesday:
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Southern Alps west (especially the north)
Mayla will loose her grip on the Alps after that. A huge low pressure area is ready to bring PowderAlert #15.
PowderAlert#15
PowderAlert #15 is for the western and southern Alps. Cold and warm fronts will keep coming in shortly after each other, bringing lots of snow. More details on Tuesday night, live from the Monte Rosa region. And for everyone in the northern Alps, I’m sorry, but the maps aren’t giving you some love yet. Please don’t shoot the messenger.
Stay stoked
Morris