Harsh Weather Hits the Alps with Powder at Altitude but Heavy Rain Lower Down

18th December 2022

Last modified on December 23rd, 2022

The temperature has been fluctuating wildly bringing snow and rain. Xmas is looking good in high-altitude rski areas but not so good lower down as the snowpack deteriorates. UPDATED

Friday 23rd December

It has been a day of huge extremes in France and parts of Switzerland with significant snow at altitude in places, and heavy rain lower down.

“It has been a complete wash-out in Les Menuires and other areas of Les3Vallees,” said one PlanetSKI reader to us today.

The freezing level is around 2,300m – 2,400m.

Looking out from behind a chairlift cover rather summed it up.

Les3Vallees, France. Image © PlanetSKI

PlanetSKI’s editor, James Cove, has been in the area the past week or so, but left on Thursday night.

The weather was closing in as he left.

Les3Vallees, France. Image © PlanetSKI

See some of his reports from the area further down this article as the weather varied day-by-day..

It has been a topsy-turvy weather scene with things going from one extreme to the other.

At altitude in Chamonix there should be 1m of powder by the time the current storm passes, while on the slopes of the lower resorts in the area much of the snow will be ruined by the rain.

Western Austria is also experiencing similar conditions with resorts in the Arlberg, including St Anton, affected.

And from our readers and reporters out in the mountains:

Rotten weather in the 4Vallees today, heavy rain from about 2500m down, washing away much lovely snow. Spent a couple of hours skinning up to the summer alpage, which was nice. By which I mean nice when it stopped 😂 pic.twitter.com/I406Keazba
— Valais Dude (@ValaisDude) December 23, 2022

Simone Dumergue: Heavy rain all day in Les Arcs 1800. Hoping to find lots of fresh snow higher up tomorrow but looking messy outside the apartment!

Liane Rowland: It’s been heavy rain all day throughout La Plagne, with pistes suffering badly

Here is the latest from Fraser Wilkin at weathertoski.co.uk:

“Very roughly speaking, the areas that will see the most persistent rain/snow today will be the northern French Alps (north of Alpe d’Huez), much of the Swiss Alps (away from the far south and south-east – i.e. not Ticino or the Engadin), and the far west of Austria (e.g. Arlberg).

“The very heaviest precipitation will be reserved for the northern French Alps, including the likes of L’Espace Killy, the 3 Valleys, the Paradiski, the Mont Blanc area, the Grand Massif and the Portes du Soleil.

“It will also be very wet across the northern and western Swiss Alps, including resorts such as Villars, Verbier, Gstaad, the Jungfrau region and Engelberg.

“The further east and south-east you are, though, the less intense and persistent the rain/snow will be.

“The western and northern Austrian Alps (e.g. Lech, Kitzbühel) will also see some rain today though it will quickly become lighter and patchier the further south you are, with only light and patchy precipitation in Obergurgl and nothing in the far south (e.g. Nassfeld).

“In Italy, rain (and snow at high altitude) will affect the far north-west (e.g. Courmayeur, La Thuile) but will become less of an issue the further south and east you are, with the Dolomites remaining mostly dry.

Fraser will be posting a detailed look at things country by country, later today on Friday.

Do check out the latest on weathertoski.

Les3Vallees, France. Image © PlanetSKI

Thursday 22nd December

Updated video snow report from PlanetSKI editor, James Cove:

Wednesday 21st December

The information we have today about general weather and snow conditions in the Alps comes from Fraser Wilkin at weathertoski.co.uk.

“Over the next few days, the weather will remain mild and changeable with further weather fronts, mostly affecting the north-western Alps.

“Unfortunately, this means there will be quite a lot of rain to 2000m, and even 2500m later in the week in areas such as Megève, the Portes du Soleil, Gstaad, Villars, the Jungfrau region and even the Austrian Arlberg.

“Significant snow will fall at high, with as much as 50-60cm above 2500m in the likes of Chamonix and Glacier 2000, and maybe 20-40cm in Tignes, Val d’Isère and Val Thorens.

“However, the benefits of this high-level snow will be very limited.

“All in all, this is not great news for the Alps as we head into the busy Christmas period, with deteriorating snow conditions at low and medium altitudes, especially in the north-western Alps.”

Fraser keeps a close eye on snow in the Alps and he will no doubt be updating as Xmas approaches so do keep an eye on weathertoski.co.uk

The PlaneSKI editor, James Cove, is in Val Thorens and can confirm the accuracy of Fraser’s coverage.

So, what was it like at La Masse as James headed over there?

No surprise really given the very changeable weather.

Only one thing to do…

Tuesday 20th December

Around the Alps the temperatures have risen sharply with the freezing level at over 3,000m.

The good news is that it is set to get colder on Wednesday with the odd dusting of snow.

However there is no significant snow in the forecast and it is due to warm up again as we approach the weekend and Christmas.

Here in Val Thorens it feels more like the second half of March than the second half of December.

Spring, not winter, is in the air.

The temperature at 10am in the resort at 2,300m was +6.

By lunchtime it was well into double figures.

The most popular places were the restaurant sundecks.

Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI

But up on the slopes the snow was very good.

The overnight freeze had made the pistes chalky and grippy.

So, we just hammered round the pistes.

In places they were busy as it is the week before Xmas.

Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI

On other runs we had them to ourselves.

Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI

In December the sun is low in the sky so is not as strong and the pistes are holding up well.

As we mentioned in the video report from yesterday (see below) the story in the Alps is all about the yo-yoing temperatures.

-16c in this part of the French Alps just over a week ago with barely a soul around.

And now this:

Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI

As the afternoon wore on the clouds returned and when the slopes shut some darker clouds appeared.

Perhaps they might hold some snow as there is a little in the forecast for Wednesday.

Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI

Monday 19th December

Here’s the latest PlanetSKI snow (and temperature) report from our editor, James Cove.

He is in Les Menuires, but not for long.

Les Menuires, France. Image © PlanetSKI

One of our regular readers, Craig Burton from Ski Solutions, has updated us from Megeve in France.

“Great snow conditions for the opening weekend in Megeve,” said Craig.

” We spent two days cruising the blues and reds in the Mont d’ Arbois and Rochebrune sectors.

“Quiet slopes, and decent cover on piste.

“It’s well set-up for Christmas and New Year skiers.”

We will be updating this article with further reports as we get them so do check back

Sunday 18th December

Most of the ski resorts across the Alps, Pyrenees and in Scandinavia are now open.

Christmas is under one week away and the next few weeks will see many of them packed.

It is the first year since 2019 that things should be running normally at Xmas and New Year after the disruptions caused by Covid-19.

UK tour operators and the resorts themselves report brisk business.

Geneva airport has see one of its busiest times in December so far with numbers swelled by arriving skiers and snowboarders.

Geneva airport. Image © PlanetSKI

PlanetSKI saw many hundreds of people arriving by rail into Bourg St Maurice in France at the weekend as we passed through.

Bourg St Maurice, France. Image © PlanetSKI

They then head on to the many French resorts in the Tarrantaise that have excellent conditions for the time of year.

La Rosiere, France. Image © PlanetSKI

PlanetSKI is now in Les3Vallees in France and we will be updating on the conditions on Monday.

It was looking good as we arrived in Les Menuires.

Les Menuires, Les3Vallees. Image © PlanetSKI

Up on the slopes at altitude it was pretty darn good too.

Les Menuires, Les3Vallees.

Elsewhere in the Alps we have heard from PlanetSKI reader Paul Hansgate who is in Sauze d’Oulx in Italy.

He runs the ski company Hanski.

Hanski+

“The snow is absolutely excellent for this time of year, we had 24cm of fresh before we arrived on Friday 16^th December and the pistes are in fantastic condition,” said Paul.

” Temperatures have been really cold, -10 most nights and below freezing all day, with incredible blue skies.

“There has been limited lifts and pistes open in Sauze and Via Lattea up until now, but we are told the links over to Sestriere and Sansicario will open on Monday.”