Snow Forecast Summary - 14th January 2011
Snow Forecast Summary - 14th January 2011
Published : 14-Jan-2011 09:46
Last WeekWell it's certainly been an "interesting" week as far as the European Alps are concerned. The week started with unseasonally high temperatures and heavy rain in many places, right up to altitudes of 2,000 metres. Although that was to the immediate detriment of the snow pack, the rain quickly turned to snow and the last three days have seen significant snow fall and lower temperatures.
The end result has been a deterioration of conditions on the lowest slopes, particularly to the East, but mid and high-altitude pitches have seen improved snow cover with many resorts reporting Powder in the past few days. Local effects have been highly variable so you should check our Snow Reports online for the latest from your chosen resort(s).
In North America, Canada has seen widespread snows and in the United States, the East Coast and Colorado have received substantial new snow.
Scandinavia and Scotland were also in on the action and are enjoying excellent conditions.
European Weather and Snow This Coming Weekend
The next week is going to be rather quieter for Europe, with temperature being the most notable talking point - unfortunately for the wrong reasons as it is going to be warm and Spring-like for several days over this coming weekend and beyond. On the bright side, however, it will be sunny and clear for much of the time and most resorts have great snow.
It does look, from the current forecast models, as if temperatures will fall throughout next week and they should be around the seasonal average by the end. Further out there also appears to be increasing likelihood of new snow (and colder weather) for the last week of January.
Off Piste in The Alps
If you're venturing off-piste this week, please exercise all the usual caution - and some. It appears that the weather patterns of the season so far have left instabilities deep in the snow pack that are now overlain by fresh snow - particularly on slopes above 2,000 metres. It is suspected by some experts that this contributed to this week's tragic avalanche in Val d'Isere which claimed the lives of four skiers.
For the latest news of the off-piste conditions in the French Alps, please take the time to check out everything they have to say on Henry's Avalanche Talk.
Stay Safe!
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