PA #8: up to 40 cm of fresh snow, but don't wait too long

PA #8: up to 40 cm of fresh snow, but don't wait too long

It’s snowing in the Italian Piedmont since Wednesday and the weather will remain turbulent south of the main alpine ridge the next couple of days. It will be the last sign of winter for a while. Under the influence of a powerful high pressure area over Europe and a storm over the Atlantic Ocean, a current from the southeast will bring warmer air to the Alps. The temperatures will rise especially on the north side of the Alps due to a warm Föhn from the south. You’ll have to go the southern Alps to ride fresh snow, but don’t wait too long. The temperatures will start rising over there as well. In this forecast:

  • PA#8: it’s snowing in the Piedmont
  • Higher temperatures after the weekend
  • Discount on Mountain Academy
  • Long term: no precipitation and higher temperatures
Fresh snow in Prali
Fresh snow in Prali
It's white in Sestrière
It’s white in Sestrière
White in Crissolo as well
White in Crissolo as well
Snowfall during the night
Snowfall during the night
It's even white in Oulx
It’s even white in Oulx

PA#8: it’s snowing in the Piedmont

It’s snowing lightly in the Piedmont again today. A small front passed from the northwest yesterday. This front brought the most snow in the pre-Alps of the Isère, Savoie, Haute Savoie, northern Lower Valais and the west of the Bernese Oberland above 2000 meters. Between 15-25 cm of fresh snow came down, so you can ride some powder in those regions today. If you go deeper into the Alps the amounts of fresh snow are decreasing.

At the same time, it started snowing in the western and southern Piedmont yesterday, thanks to the current from the east. This ‘retour d’est’ brings some light snowfall today. Last week’s storm already brought 25 to 60 cm of fresh snow to the Piedmont, they got 15-40 cm of fresh snow the last 24 hours and you can expect another 2-10 cm the next 24 hours. It will be cold enough until Sunday and you can expect some fresh snow to come down both on Friday and Sunday. It will be on in the western and southern Piedmont the next couple of days. Check out the go-to resorts below for the next 96 hours. Still looking for accommodation? Click directly on one of the resorts and book yourself a powder adventure.

A second front will hit the Alps on Friday, and this time it’s coming straight from the south. That results in snowfall especially in the resorts south of the triangle Monterosa - Gotthard - Maloja pass between Friday and Saturday. You can expect 10-20 cm of fresh snow, but you can also expect 2-10 cm in the rest of the Piedmont and the French southern Alps. The conditions will be pretty good from Satursday in northern Ticino, southern Engadine and the northeastern Piedmont.

The temperature will rise from Monday. A strong current from the southeast will kick in between a high pressure area above Europe and a low pressure area west of it. The temperatures will rise, although 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 between Sunday and Tuesday. In addition, the snow line will still be around 900 meters at first, but will rise towards 1500 meters altitude the days after. There’s a strong Föhn from the south present in the rest of the Alps and the temperatures are rising.

Strong current from the southeast
Strong current from the southeast

Higher temperatures after the weekend

The temperatures will rise the next 7 days, and the Föhn coming in from the south will definitely influence the snow in the northern Alps. If you want to ride some fresh powder, you better go this weekend. It is not only white in the Piedmont, but you can still find nice powder in many parts of the western Alps the next 96 hours, although have to go deeper into the backcountry. Besides the Piedmont, you can also find fresh 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.

But 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 this 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!

Genoa low
Genoa low

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.

Stay stoked. Morris

meteomorris
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