PA#4: first a Sudstau than a white Christmas?
After a lovely Sunday with plenty of fresh snow, the upcoming working days are dominated by a Sudstau. The upper air flow will be south in the coming days, with a föhnstorm as a result for the Northern Alps. On the north side it will be mild with temperatures that can go up to +15 and even tap the 20 degrees + barrier locally. But Föhn in the north usually means fresh snow for the south. During the coming week it will snow heavily regularly over 1500-2000 meters. Especially the areas south of the Gotthard and in the Piedmont are going to see a lot of snow. In this article:
- Four days of Sudstau
- First a high snow line, later dropping
- PA#4, my tips
- At the end of the weekend snow and lower temps for the North(west)
- A white Christmas?
Four days of Sudstau
It has been a lot milder in the Alps since Sunday and today (Tuesday) it will be really mild. Temperaturers up to +20 degrees Celsius are possible in central Switzerland. Also in Vorarlberg it becomes very mild where the temperature can go up to 17 degrees. At the same time it is snowing on the southern side of the Alps. The snow line fluctuates between 1700 and 2200 meters and sinks towards the 1500 meters or lower during the most severe showers. It may be December, you expect this type of weather earlier in early November. Count on 10-35 cm of fresh snow above 2100 meters
We will see the same picture on Wednesday. Still a strong southern föhn and very mild in the north and at the same time snow on the south side of the Alps. Snow line again high, but drops slightly during the day. Count on 10-45 cm fresh above 2100 meters.
The southern föhn storm continues on Thursday and Friday, but the air gets cooler, the snow line drops and the snowfall expands throughout the southern Alps. In the course of Friday in particular, a very active front enters the Alps via the southwest. This yields a lot of snow on the south side (including the French Alps) that ends the southern stau. The snow line then drops rapidly towards the 1200 to 1600 meters.
PA#4, my tips
Powder alert #4 is a tricky one. I would definitely skip Tuesday and Wednesday. The high snow line in the southern Alps makes it difficult. The fohnstorm on the north side of the Alps makes freeriding impossible. On Thursday it will quickly become cooler and the circumstances will be much better. Although hige accumulations of fresh snow can then keep some lifts closed and the avalanche hazard can become a major issue. But from Thursday the conditions are there for PA#4. It becomes cooler and the treeruns will be the place to be. Friday will be a deep day when it really gets colder. It will snow deeper into the valleys and when the sun comes through on Saturday in the French Southern Alps and the Italian Piedmont it will be ON.
- Thursday: moderate visibility, but you might find that little visibility and powder around Airolo-Andermatt or Cervinia-Zermatt
- Friday: treeruns in northern and western Piedmont and the north of the French Hautes Alpes
- Saturday: the sun comes through. Best snow in the western Piedmont and the north of the French Hautes Alpes
- Sunday: still the western and Northern Piedmont and the north of the French Hautes Alpes, but now also the Aosta and the inneralpine areas of the Savoie and Haute Savoie.
At the end of the weekend snow and lower temps for the North(west)
With all the storms and mild temperatures, the snow cover in the Northern Alps will suffer. It might be clear that this will have consequences for the lower regions. Below the current snow cover which is rather thin in the lower parts of Austria.
The upcoming weekend there will be some snow on the program for the west and north-west of the Alps. But since the snow line will be around 1400 and 1700 meters, you have to gohigher up. Only at the end of the weekend on Sunday colder air will flow into the northern Alps. An update on this later in the week because timing, snow line, hot spots and quantities are not yet completely clear, but after the föhn storm every flake is welcome in the Northern Alps. As of Monday conditions will definitely improve and the Arlberg in particular can temporarily be really good again.
A white Christmas with real powder?
If you want a guaranteed white Christmas and already want to book in advamce, I would advice to choose for resort with significant terrain above 1800 meters. There is already a lot of snow and freeriding is guaranteed. It becomes way more difficult for the lower areas. No significant snow is expected there in the next 5 days. The cold air of Sunday will bring snow to the bottom of the valleys, but what happens just before Xmas is still highly uncertain.
The mepowder project
May I draw your attention to the Erik Bulckens project? I got to know Erik through the film [Perisan Powder]([url=http: //bit.ly/34kSPYs]). Erik is a passionate freerider with whom I have made some powderchase adventures during the last few years. Erik wants to make a documentary about wePowder and seeks your support for that. Read more about his ambitions and project here. Thanks!
The book has landed
The ultimate freeride guide book came out early last week: wePowder The Alps with more than 120+ destinations. 408 pages thick and almost 2 kilos heavy. In recent days, a huge team has helped us (thanks to everyone who helped us!) to pack the books and prepare the shipments. The first books have already been delivered and more people will receive their book in the coming days. If you live in a non-EU country, shipping takes a little longer due to costs and customs rules. But your ordered book is already ready for pickup.
The pre-order phase has come to an end but the book can still be ordered and I can assure you that the book is worth every penny/euro etc. More info about this book can be found here, you can order directly here.
Stay stoked Morris
Comments
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AdvancedDovydas op 17 December 2019 · 10:22Oh, I was so waiting for this forecast, thank you, Morris. Trying to pick a resort - Monte Rosa looks like an option, but it is above the trees. What about Courmayeur? Or maybe some other resort would work better? I am starting snowboarding on Friday. -
Expertmeteomorris op 17 December 2019 · 10:33@Dovydas Courmayeur, Serre Chevalier, Monte Rosa, Andermatt, Via Lattea will all be good options. -
poederman op 17 December 2019 · 10:49Thx for the forecast Morris ! I see huge amounts of fresh snow on the forecast maps for the east of Wallis on Friday and Sunday We are going to Zermatt from the 26th of December. I hope the avalanche risk won't be too high, otherwise I can still cancel for free until the 21th of December. -
stefanroslund op 17 December 2019 · 11:49Super thanks for this great update!! We look forward to some epic days at Les Arc 2000 area!! Happy christmas 2U and all snow lovers.
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tomabens op 17 December 2019 · 11:59Same situation starting Friday, I'm in Lyon and was thinking of a little powder trip was a good option to a trio San domenico , macugnaga and alpe devoro.
Good idea ? Or Monte rossa is a safer pick ?
I received the book !! Congratulations !!!!! So great !!! -
Expertfunrise2000 op 17 December 2019 · 12:54Don't Forget: Never fly for skiing! Thanks! -
BeginnerMountainlodge op 17 December 2019 · 13:13Didn’t receive my book yet! The tracking has been showing, since last week, that the package has been received in their facilities but has not been shipped yet... is that normal?!?
Snow line for Friday around Andermatt-Sedrun looks kind of sketchy... do you think it will dip in to the valley?!?
Thanks
Mik -
Advancedmanuski op 17 December 2019 · 20:01Salut,
Ce serait cool d'avoir aussi la météo en français comme au début. L'internationalisation a surement des bons côtés, mais il ne faut pas oublier d'où l'on vient...
Sur ce bulletin ça va encore, mais desfois on ne comprend vraiment pas grand chose et c'est dommage.
Bon ski à tous -
Expertfunrise2000 op 18 December 2019 · 08:32la plupart viennent de loin et arrivent en avion
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Expertmeteomorris op 18 December 2019 · 09:40la plupart viennent de loin et arrivent en avionfunrise2000 op 18 Dec 2019 08:32
@funrise2000 Our top 10 countries are: Germany, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, Italy, UK, Sweden and Czechia.
We don't have the data what form of transportation they use but I assume that the car will be by far the most used form of transportation.
To be honest: I don't think we will save the climate when the few free riders that go to the Alps by plane would stop flying. For sure as long as the rest of the world keeps on flying. As long as policymakers do not dare to charge a CO2 tax in line with the tax on Diesel and Petrol you will not so a rapid decline in the usage of airplanes. That having said: it is a good thing to make the ones who fly to the Alps aware about their footprint. And I think it would be better if we all would stimulate free riders who come by plane to the Alps to compensate their flight for example through: https://www.myclimate.org/compensate/
@manuski Nous n'avons pas l'argent pour publier le message en français. J'ai eu le français à l'école et mon niveau de lecture et de parole est suffisant. Mais mes connaissances sont insuffisantes pour l'écrire parfaitement. Nous avons eu de nombreux commentaires par le passé sur le niveau de traduction des bulletins météorologiques français. Voilà pourquoi nous nous sommes arrêtés. Toutes mes excuses pour la gêne occasionnée. Je vous recommande d'utiliser google translate pour traduire les prévisions météorologiques en français.
@Mountainlodge due to costs and customs rules it takes us more time to ship to Switzerland. Sorry for the delay. -
tomabens op 18 December 2019 · 10:02Hey Morris,
#1 in France for Friday -sunday, Serre Chevalier ?
Have a nice day -
AdvancedAdamStekl op 18 December 2019 · 10:09Hello Morris,
as always thank you very much for all the information you provide. We will be driving to the Alps for the weekend ride from Czechia. With current snow cover and forecast we are thinking to go to Italy, but not too far east. We are thinking about Livigno, Marmolada(Sella ronda) or Madona di Campiglio. Which resort would you pick out of these three? Or would you have some other recomendation. Thanks for info. -
Beginnerboardhead op 18 December 2019 · 12:03Don't Forget: Never fly for skiing! Thanks!funrise2000 op 17 Dec 2019 12:54
funrise2000 Don't Forget: Never eat meat if you love winters and skiing
Nice read: https://www.sueddeutsche.de/stil/essen-ernaehrung-klimaschutz-co2-1.46...
If we as skiers and snowboarders would reduce of or even stop eating meat and diary we would make a way bigger step forward.
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BeginnerKarlis op 18 December 2019 · 13:38Don't Forget: Never fly for skiing! Thanks!funrise2000 op 17 Dec 2019 12:54
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nikiyfr@gmail.com op 18 December 2019 · 22:20Hi Morris,
Thank you for your report
What do you think about going to Dolomiti superski for Christmas?
Do you think that there will be enough Snow for freeride?
Thanks -
bavoderammelaere op 19 December 2019 · 11:09
@manuski Nous n'avons pas l'argent pour publier le message en français. J'ai eu le français à l'école et mon niveau de lecture et de parole est suffisant. Mais mes connaissances sont insuffisantes pour l'écrire parfaitement. Nous avons eu de nombreux commentaires par le passé sur le niveau de traduction des bulletins météorologiques français. Voilà pourquoi nous nous sommes arrêtés. Toutes mes excuses pour la gêne occasionnée. Je vous recommande d'utiliser google translate pour traduire les prévisions météorologiques en français.
If you ever need someone translating into French: I'm Belgian with good knowledge of French and I'd be happy to do so.
