Weather Outlook and Snow Forecast – 3 Jan 2017

GFS Forecasting Models showing cold temperatures (the red line is a 30 year average) with the bottom lines showing forecast precipitation.

While not completely unusual to have a high pressure system dominate the Alps for weeks on end it has set some new records this Winter and that very early snow to low levels in the first weeks of November seems a long, long time ago now.

Predictions of changes to the pattern have been made for weeks now (and it is bound to change eventually) but at last we are seeing things happen. Northerly air flow is bringing much colder temperatures and snow is sweeping down directly from Scandinavia with the Northern Alps already receiving some decent snow fall.

This image showing the northerly front coming down tomorrow.

These Northerly flows however are likely to bring only a small amount of snow to our region as the fronts just about make it to us and fizzle out. The more positive news is that regular Atlantic fronts are now forecast to sweep in at the beginning of next week bring much more significant snow fall (still of course quite a way out and most weather geeks don’t trust forecasts more than 5 days away).

The forecasted sub-zero temperatures stretching right down to Southern Italy, Sicily and Greece this weekend.

Continuing cold temperatures are at least keeping the current real and man-made snow in decent condition considering the wait for the next big snow fall. Heavy traffic and exposed areas are of course suffering with hard and icy areas but Pisteurs continue to do a remarkable job in maintaining the pistes. Definitely worth getting out early and finishing your day a little earlier.

Certain snow cannon reservoirs are visibly lower with the amount of snow that has been made this Winter already but they are linked together with the underground network of pipes so they can redistribute water where needed. Currently Courchevel / La Tania Valley has 56 pistes and 33 lifts in operation, over The 3 Valleys it is 218 pistes and 125 lifts. So keep that snow dance going, wish for more than is forecast tomorrow and hope those Atlantic fronts materialise at the start of next week… Let it Snow!