0
0
Share with your friends










Submit
  • Home
  • About
  • Advertising
  • Privacy
  • Property
  • Contact
  • Sitemap

Logo

Navigation
  • Ski Resorts
  • Where to Ski
  • How to Ski
  • Snow
    • Snow Report
  • Gear
    • Ski Clothing
    • Ski Equipment
  • Family Skiing
  • Ski Holidays
  • Deals
  • Summer

Lots of Sunshine and Just a Little Fresh Snow

By Sean Newsom | on January 6, 2020 | 0 Comment
Snow Report
Lots of Sunshine and Just a Little Fresh Snow | welove2ski

Fresh snow at resort level in Ischgl, Austria, yesterday. Photo: Ischgl/Facebook

It snowed over the weekend in the north-eastern Alps. Parts of the Austrian Tirol had received 30cm of the white stuff by the time the skies cleared.

In France, by contrast, the skies remained clear in the mountains (though there has been fog at lower altitudes).

Is this the start of another amazing January in Austria – to match the epic snowfall of January 2019? Actually, no – despite signs last week that it might develop. Instead, we can expect more of the sunshine and settled conditions which set in during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Admittedly, there will also be a little fresh snow in the northern Alps on Friday (expect 10-15cm in most resorts). But that doesn’t change the fact that 2020 is getting off to a predominantly mild and sunny start.

One feature of this week’s weather will be a cooler breeze than the winds that blew over New Year. So we’re unlikely to see such a pronounced freeze-thaw cycle again, as temperatures won’t be so spring-like. So expect more in the way of hard pistes, unless you’re skiing on north-facing slopes above 2500m – well out of the reach of the recent thaws. This’ll be week for sharp edges and good technique, as well sunscreen.

Here’s Meteoblue’s snow forecast for the 24 hours up to Saturday morning.

Lots of Sunshine and Just a Little Fresh Snow | welove2ski

Meteoblue’s 24hr snowforecast for the Alps to 1am on 11.01.20. Image: meteoblue.com

As I said last week, this is the time of year you’d expect winter to bite hardest, so it’s disappointing to see a prolonged sunny spell take shape. But at least the back-to-front start to the season has left the higher resorts with plenty of snow – even if most of the best skiing is now on-piste, rather than off. You’ll need an experienced and quick-witted guide with you if you’re venturing off the beaten track, especially in the western Alps where sun-baked crust alternates with wind-scoured slopes and some powder in sheltered, high-altitude bowls. At least the avalanche risk is now mostly at the 1/5 or 2/5 level. What’s more, the snowpack is expected to become more stable as temperatures drop tomorrow.

Bear in mind also, that the cover on lower slopes – below about 1300m, is thin. If you’re planning a last-minute January break, aim high.

Share this story:
  • tweet

Tags: Snow Report

Recent Posts

  • Pancake Day

    February 13, 2021 - 0 Comment
  • Dan Egan: 30 Years In A White Haze

    February 6, 2021 - 0 Comment
  • Elan Skis Breakthrough

    February 2, 2021 - 2 Comments

Related Posts

  • Heavy Autumn Snow in the Alps

    October 26, 2020 - 0 Comment
  • A Busy Week of Spring Weather for the Northern Alps

    March 10, 2020 - 0 Comment
  • A Snowy Start to March in the Alps

    March 2, 2020 - 0 Comment

Author Description

Sean Newsom

As well as founding Welove2ski in June 2007, Sean has written about skiing in the British press for 18 years. For the last 11, he’s also been the ski travel editor of The Sunday Times.

No Responses to “Lots of Sunshine and Just a Little Fresh Snow”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Free Updates

Join 16,000 clever people who get the latest Welove2ski content delivered to their inbox

RSSSubscribe 15364 Followers 10135 Fans

The Loveometer

Zermatt: Cool Chalets, Certain Snow and The Majestic Matterhorn
100 %
Tweenager Tips: How to Enjoy Ski Holidays with Older Kids
98 %
How to Go Green On Your Ski Holiday
98 %
St Anton, Austria: Wild Nights, Steep Pistes and Challenging Backcountry
97 %
Weird and Wonderful Ski Fads and Fashions
94 %
  • Home
  • About
  • Advertising
  • Privacy
  • Property
  • Contact
  • Sitemap
© 2020. All Rights Reserved. Created with love by WL2S