Snowiest Weekend of the Season so Far Heading to Europe
Snowiest Weekend of the Season so Far Heading to Europe
Published : 12-Jan-2017 12:49
What looks set to be the snowiest weekend of the 2016-17 ski season so far looks set to bring 20-50cm to most areas of the Alps and the Pyrenees over the weekend.
The snowfall is snow widespread it is being forecast for ski resorts from Spain to the Czech republic.
Although there has been snowfall in most parts on Europe over the past 10 days, the snowfall forecast for the next 48-72 hours looks to be the most widespread, substantial; snowfall since the big accumulations above 2000m back in early November, now two months ago.
For the Western Alps tomorrow (Friday 13th) looks likely to be the snowiest, with resorts in the East seeing more of a spread of snowfall on Friday in to Saturday.
Ski areas that have not had much so far including the Portes du Soleil, Jungfrau and Grand Massif should be in line for 30-50cm if forecasts prove correct.
Many big name resorts including Engelberg, St Anton, Val Thorens, Courchevel are expected to get 35-45cm of snowy Sunday.
Longer term forecasts for the coming week predict that these totals should double by this time next week, but the longer term the forecast, the less certain it is.
Some resorts in Austria which have had a lot of snow already over the past 10 days have reported more in the last 24 hours and have more forecast. Filzmoos, Flachau and Saalbach are among ski areas that have reported another 20cm of snow in the last 24 hours.
Unfortunately the Italian Dolomites are not currently expected to get any snow, and they need it badly – although as with most ski areas lacking much natural snow, they have successfully opened thousands of kilometres of runs with snowmaking.
Snow is expected in Western Italy however, with around 50cm forecast for Courmayeur (pictured top).
Scaremongering stories in the British national press reported that resorts in Haute Savoie might face a ban on taking water for snowmaking from public water systems (although they would continue to be able to use their own snowmaking reservoirs, if snow did not fall by the weekend. It is not clear if the snow that has fallen earlier this week and the larger snowfalls now forecast will be considered adequate by the regional authorities to offset this threat.
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