At Last! Snow in the Southern Alps

Up to half a metre has fallen across the southern French Alps, Italy and parts of Switzerland and Austria.

There’s been moderate to heavy across the southern Alps – and it’s still snowing in parts of the Italian Dolomites and Austria’s East Tirol. In some Italian resorts it’s the first decent snowfall this winter.

The south-western Alps were the first to get it yesterday, and there heavy snow south of Grenoble in France. Les Deux Alpes picked up 25cm, and Serre-Chevalier claims 40-50cm of fresh on its upper slopes in its latest snow report. Here’s how it’s looking this morning, as everyone gets stuck in.

The snow has spread across Italy, southern Switzerland and into Austria’s East Tirol and Carinthia too, bringing a much needed blanket of white to the slopes. As I’ve said before, unstinting work with the snow cannons has meant the pistes in many resorts have been in good condition, despite the drought: but the belated contribution from Mother Nature will be welcome nonetheless.

Here’s how it’s looking at the Rifugio Ferraro, in the Monterosa ski area this morning, in the Italy’s Aosta Valley.

Meanwhile, pictured below is little Madesimo, north of lake Como, which has had 50cm since yesterday morning.

Below is St Moritz, in south-eastern Switzerland, where there’s been 30cm of snow in the last 24hrs.

Below is Cortina d’Ampezzo, which has had “about 15cm” of new snow so far.

All of which is great news – but not as exciting as Wednesday’s snow forecast which is promising a really meaty wintry storm right across the Alps.

I should say that a dump like this isn’t absolutely certain yet. Some forecasts are calling for much lighter snowfall, and small deviations is weather patterns over the next two days could bring significant changes. But generally, it does look as though the Alps will get a cool and snowy spell between Tuesday night and February 15 or 16. Our snow forecast is already calling for another decent dump on Friday.

Temperatures will be fluctuating during this period. But once we’ve got beyond a mild interlude tomorrow, the thaws should be short-lived and not as sharp as first thought. It won’t be warming up properly until the middle of next week.