[b]Summary[/b]

It has been a very strange winter across the Alps, and most of Europe generally, mild to start with a notable lack of snowfall, however once in started in early to Mid December, it has been very snowy and very cold over the Alps with great skiing conditions. Over the past few days it has turned very mild which has led a thaw especially on lower slopes, given the excellent snow depths that is not too much of a concern in the short term, however it is also set to be mild for most of next week, with a very flat jet across the Atlantic, so is this a blip or is this milder pattern set to continue. Also it is worth noting that there is a definite West to East split this week across the Alps this week, always coldest or least mild towards the east, and mildest towards the west.

[b]Synoptic Summary [/b]Given the flat pattern, I am not going to do a full analysis, but have posted charts for

Today [attachment=131777:24 Feb Current.JPG]

Sunday [attachment=131774:24 Feb +48.JPG]

Tuesday [attachment=131774:24 Feb +48.JPG]

Thursday [attachment=131775:24 Feb +96.JPG]

And it is very clear to see the mild weather across most parts of Western Europe, and for the Alps with a brief colder slot for early next week, more especially for the Eastern Alps.

[b]Alps Detail[/b]

[b]Freezing Levels (noon)[/b]
[b]Sat 25 Feb - [/b]1400m-1600m NE steadily rising to 2800-3000m SW
[b]Sun 26 Feb - [/b]800m-1200m NE, 1200-1600m Central, 2000m+ far South West
[b]Mon 27 Feb[/b] [b]- [/b]600-800m E Austria, 1200m-1400m Central, 1800m-2200m far South West
[b]Tue 28 Feb -[/b] 1400-1800m E Austria, 1800m-2000m Central, 2000m-2400m West
[b]Wed 29 Feb - [/b]2300-2600m E Austria, 2600m-3000m Central, 3000m-3400m West
[b]Thu 1 Mar - [/b]2600-2900m generally
[b]Fri 2 Mar - [/b]2500-2800m generally

[b]Freezing Levels (6am)[/b]
[b]Sat 25 Feb - [/b]Over 2000m, down to mountain level in places
[b]Sun 26 Feb - [/b]600-800m East, 1200-1500m generally
[b]Mon 27 Feb - [/b]0m-800m Generally
[b]Tue 28 Feb -[/b] 0m-800m Generally
[b]Wed 29 Feb - [/b]Over 2000m, down to mountain level in parts of the western Alps
[b]Thu 1 Mar - [/b]Over 2000m, down to mountain level in places
[b]Fri 2 Mar -[/b] Over 2000m, down to mountain level in places

[b]850 Hpa Temps (noon)[/b]
[b]Sat 25 Feb - [/b]-1 to +2 NE steadily rising to +6 to +9c SW
[b]Sun 26 Feb - [/b]-3c to -5c NE, -1c to +2c Central, +1 to +4c South West
[b]Mon 27 Feb[/b] [b]- [/b]-5c to -7c E Austria, -2c to +2c Central, +1 co to +3c far South West
[b]Tue 28 Feb -[/b] -1c to +1c Austria, 2c to 4c West
[b]Wed 29 Feb - [/b]+3 to +5c North East, +6 to +9c elsewhere
[b]Thu 1 Mar - [/b]+5c to +9c generally
[b]Fri 2 Mar - [/b]+3 to +5c North East, +5 to +8c elsewhere

[b]Alps Daily Summaries[/b]
[b]Sat 25 Feb[/b]-
Mostly dry, mild and bright over the Alps, truing a bit colder from the North East later, with some patchy precipitation over N and NW Austria, Snow Levels generally around 1500-1800m.
[attachment=131767:24 Feb +24 Alps.JPG]

[b]Sun 26 Feb - [/b]Dry to start generally, but precipitation building over Austria, with some heavy bursts for Central and Western areas, snow down 1200m at midday, closer to 800m by early evening, as it turns colder from the NE.
[attachment=131771:24 Feb + 48 Alps.JPG]

[b]Mon 27 Feb - [/b]Any overnight precipitation dying out quickly and a largely dry day, an east west split, mildest in the west, coldest in the east
[attachment=131772:24 Feb + 72 Alps.JPG]

[b]Tue 28 Feb -[/b] Mostly dry over the Alps, however always patchy precipitation in the far NE, this tuning heavier for a time mid afternoon, snow above around 2000m, as again it turns milder from the west during the day.

[attachment=131768:24 Feb +96 Alps.JPG]

[b]Wed 1 Mar -[/b] Dry and increasingly mild over the Alps.
[attachment=131773:24 Feb + 120 Alps.JPG]

[b]Thu 2 Mar[/b] and [b]Fri 3 Mar[/b] - Mostly mild and dry, but the odd bit of precipitation cannot be ruled out.
[attachment=131769:24 Feb +144 Alps.JPG] [attachment=131770:24 Feb +168 Alps.JPG]