Weather Update – Some snow coming in…

The tabloid type ski web sites may be getting a a little carried away with the snow coming in on Saturday, definitely some and certainly the temperatures are really plummeting, it could be lower than -10C in resort by mid-week. Not convinced we’re going to be buried in the 3 Valleys though…

The above spaghetti ensembles are Global Forecast Systems showing different forecasts (each line equivalent of UK, US, German, Euro Met Offices) with the upper line predicting temperature and the below line precipitation. This image is focused pretty close to La Tania. Closes the line are together the more likely the forecast being correct really.

Sites that predict 147cm of snow and the like are never going to be correct as snow depths vary so much even in a local area and are affected by wind, humidity, altitude, aspect and of course temperature. The density of flakes makes a huge difference too – heavy snow can compress softer snow below it for example! And it can still be cloudy and not snow…

The weekend system rolling in this weekend in a swirl from the Atlantic shown above while Northerly Winds come straight down from the arctic – perfect for Snow but still early days although maybe some base will consolidate with cannoned snows on a few main runs. Grooming and compressing essential for that.

S3V announced yesterday that snow making has started for real – the testing and pressurisation is complete so this is it – they must expect it to stay cold! The above pic showing the run down from Saulire and on the top extreme left Biollay being prep’d.