Snow Storm Hits the Alps as Temperatures Drop Sharply
5th December 2024
Last modified on December 8th, 2024
There has been a very welcome winter storm as Xmas approaches. PlanetSKI reports from the Alps. UPDATED
The forecast snowstorm has arrived in the Alps and the lucky ones are welcoming scenes like this.
PlanetSKI is in Val Thorens in France.
Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI
Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI
Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI
“It’s minus eight degrees and certainly more than 20cm of snow has fallen,” said Simon.
“The forecast for today is light snow with a top up of another 5 or so and colder temperatures for the next few days.”
Simon filed this video report on Saturday afternoon from Val Thorens as the snow started.
It replaced the bright clear weather in the morning.
Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI
For an overview we turn to the alpine weather expert Fraser Wilkin, from weathertoski.co.uk.
“The rain/snow will reach the French, western Swiss and western Italian Alps by early to mid-afternoon, before continuing east to reach the more eastern parts of the Alps later today and overnight, albeit tending to reduce in intensity,” said Fraser on Saturday.
“The rain/snow limit will start at around 1700-2000m but will quickly fall towards 1000m later today then to very low levels in the west overnight.
“Between Saturday lunchtime and Sunday morning, between 15cm to 30cm of new snow can be expected above 1800m across much of the French and far western Swiss Alps, with a bit more in places, especially in the Vercors and Chartreuse regions (west of Grenoble).
“Most of the rest of the Alps will see between 5cm and 15cm, again with a little more in places (e.g. western Dolomites).
“Generally, Austria will see the least snow, especially the central and eastern Austrian Alps (e.g. Obertauern).
“Sunday will be cold with further light flurries to low levels here and there.
“These won’t generally amount to much but could produce a few more centimetres in places, notably in the western French foothills (e.g. Vercors, Chartreuse).
Do check out the very latest on weathertoski.co.uk
This drop in temperature will be very welcome and allow resorts to fire up their snow guns as the vast majority are planning to open in the next couple of weeks as the Xmas holiday break edges closer.
We will be updating this report with news of the snow across the Alps and at lower altitudes – do check back
PlanetSKI’s Simon Wilson arrived in Val Thorens on Thursday afternoon and saw the conditions lower down the mountain.
“Heading up the valley the fields remained stubbornly green, and then relief as I caught a glimpse of the mountain top where I was heading covered in snow,” he said.
Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI
“The snow cover started at Les Menuires at about 1,800m and there are perfectly decent piste conditions at the resort at 2,300m.”
Les Menuires, France. Image © PlanetSKI
Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI
Another PlanetSKI reporter, Simon Miller, is currently nearby in Tignes.
View this post on Instagram
He is on the Ski Club of Great Britain’s Reps course and will reporting over the weekend on the first week of the course.
Elsewhere in the Alps more big-name resorts are opening this weekend:
- Les3Vallees
- St Anton
- Chamonix
Others opened earlier and are continuing.
One new event for the resort is the Ice Cross World Cup – Simon will be watching and reporting back.
See here for what it is all about:
View this post on Instagram
Do check back for our race report.
Elsewhere in Europe it’s looking good too.
There has been precious little natural snow in the Pyrenees.
Not anymore.
As mentioned we will be updating this snow report shortly, so do check back…
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