Snow Overviews

France

Updated 01/04

Snow returns to the Alps again from Tuesday afternoon, as up to 30cm falls overnight Tuesday and throughout Wednesday in the Southern and Eastern French Alps.  This is aided by a freezing line topping out at 2,000m, falling off to 1,500m overnight, allowing this snow to reach all elevations. Resorts in the far northwest of the region, closest to Geneva, will miss out on this snow as it tracks in from the East, over the Italian Alps.

After a cold Wednesday evening, high pressure and spring conditions return, with a serious swing between overnight lows and midday highs. The freezing line will settled at 1,000m overnight, before climbing to over 2,500m in the midday sun. This amplitude will close as the weekend approaches, with the overnight freezing line tucking in just below 2,000m.

These fine, dry and bright conditions will continue well into the weekend and beyond.

Switzerland

Updated 01/04

Switzerland sits in the gap of good snowfall that is hitting the rest of the Alps this week, with some areas at the extreme East and West getting a few flurries to make up for it.

Areas around Zermatt and Verbier could get up to 10cm of snow from Tuesday afternoon through to midday Wednesday, mostly falling over higher ground as the freezing line hovers around 2,000m. Elsewhere, conditions remain dry and bright, but otherwise cool – the freezing line over the Grison Alps climbs from 500m over the course of the day to peak at 2,500m in Wednesday’s midday sun.

As the week continues, conditions across the region reach a confluence, with spring-like freeze-thaw conditions dominating. The freezing line will hover around 2,000m overnight, climbing to around 2,500m in the midday sun – this will put serious strain on lower slopes across the region as thaw-slush is not able to freeze overnight.

These conditions will continue through the coming weekend and into the new week.

Austria

Updated 01/04

A small nordstau event impacts central and eastern Austria over this week, bringing a few flurries for most places in this part of the world; around 10cm will fall on Tuesday on slopes north and south of the Main Alpine Ridge, reaching most elevations as the freezing line dives below 1,000m at times.

Conditions for the whole region reach a confluence after this snow flurry; spring freeze-thaw will be the theme for most areas, with the freezing line starting at c.1,000m overnight but climbing to 2,000m in the midday sun, and fine, dry and bright conditions dominating.

Another flurry of snowfall moves in over central and eastern reaches, barely enough to measure on a snowstick, but more unsettled conditions are forecast for next week.

Italy

Updated 01/04

Flurries of snowfall will fall all over Italy to open this week, for different reasons, offering a break in otherwise dominating spring conditions.

The west will see the best of this snowfall, as low pressure heads over the Italian Alps; this will bring 15cm in Piedmonte, falling at all elevations as the freezing line drops to 1,500m. This will reduce to 5cm in the Aosta Valley, and a few flurries over the Dolomites.

Conditions across the region then turn spring-y, with fine, dry and bright conditions dominating. The freezing line will drop to 2,000m overnight and rise to 2,750m in parts in the midday sun. This pattern will continue until the weekend, when a pocket of more unsettled weather and colder conditions may move over the region.

Germany

Updated 01/04

A brief flurry of snow passes through the region on Tuesday, but this will barely register on a snowstick. After unsettled conditions pass over through the middle of this week, fine, dry and bright spring conditions move in across the region.

The freezing line will fluctuate but remain camped out over 1,500m throughout, impact pistes’ ability to freeze overnight. This pattern will continue through the remainder of this week, but cooler weather is expected to move in over this weekend.

Spain & Andorra

Updated 01/04

A flash of cool weather moves in over the middle of this week, bringing with it a few flocons as it does. Otherwise, things turn sunny and mild across the region, with positive temperatures at 2,000m and a freezing line climbing to 3,000m in the midday sun.

Unsettled conditions move in over the weekend, but due to mild conditions may well bring with it rain and chances of thunder along the way!

Links – Spain

Links – Andorra

Eastern Europe

Updated 01/04

A cool-to-mild week is in store for the Balkans over this week and into the new weekend, with some unsettled weather to boot; temperatures will hover around freezing at 2,000m, with a few flurries of snow moving in over the region at the same time. Temperatures then cool gradually over the course of the week before dropping into the weekend, with a few flurries of snow to boot along the way.

Elsewhere in Eastern Europe, things will be stay generally mild, albeit cooling as the weekend arrives. Bouts of rain will turn to snow as temperatures plummet to -10°C at 1,5000m.

Useful Links – Bulgaria

Useful Links – Other Eastern Europe

Scotland

Updated 25/03

Resorts in Scotland have now closed for winter sports, shifting to summer focus.

Scandinavia

Updated 01/04

Mild conditions open the week across southern, central and northeastern reaches of Scandinavia, with positive temperatures in play until later in the week. Cold weather and a few flurries of snowfall will pass through as the week concludes and the weekend begins, with temperatures hitting -10°C overnight.

The Atlantic coast continues its good run of form, with conditions running cool-to-cold rather than the cold the have been in the past. Steady snowfall will continue over this weekend and into the new week, with around 50cm down at mid-mountain level including a foot on Thursday along. This will be accompanied by a strong winds, however, moving snow around, scouring faces and loading leeward aspects.

Useful Links

Norway

Sweden

Finland

Japan

Updated 01/04

Generally cool-to-mild conditions dominate across both Honshu and Hokkaido over this week and into the weekend. On Honshu, a mix of mild rain and snow will fall through the middle of this week, before a brief pause for some sun and a return to rain later in the week. Further north, this precipitation falls more consistently as snow as conditions remain ever so slightly cooler.

USA

Updated 01/04

Seriously good mid-winter conditions are hammering Utah and Colorado through the beginning of this week after dumping serious total of at least a foot across the Sierras and Tahoe to conclude the weekend. Up to two feet in total can be expected across many areas on the US Left Coast, with only the PNW missing out on this. Snow is forecast to be light and fluffy, seeing a return to true mid-winter conditions in many places.

As the week continues, conditions return to spring, warming and turning sunny for many.

On the Ice Coast, a cold start to the week brings a burst of snow on Wednesday evening, before mild conditions bring rain and sun to many. A brief flurry of snow precedes more rain into the weekend as condition remain mild.

Canada

Updated 01/04

A cool start to the week brings with it generally dry conditions, with a few flurries of snowfall over the Rockies. The week then turns mild and sunny as it proceeds and nears its conclusion, with a brief, cool flash expected over the weekend.

Over the St Lawrence, a bitterly cold opening to the week turns mild quickly, with snow on Wednesday evening preceding mild conditions and rain from Thursday onwards. More settled weather – albeit mild – concludes the week and opens the weekend.