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Alps Weather Blog 2nd December 2012


J10

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[b]Alps / Europe Past week [/b]

For most of November there was mild weather over the Alps, with the snow line rising back up the mountains, however there were indications in the models last week that it would turn colder this week with snow arriving back on the mountains.. As ever the following link gives the latest conditions [url="http://www.snow-forecast.com/overviews/tips_full"]http://www.snow-fore...views/tips_full[/url]

In summary there was quite a lot of snow across the higher resorts in the Alps, with lower resorts also receiving snow towards the end of last week. This does mean good conditions for a lot of the resorts which tend to open early for the winter, by their very nature these are ones which tend to be good for snowfall. Also going forward this means a good base has been set for the season in many resorts as well, more especially as ever over higher slopes.

[b]Going Forward[/b]

The key issue effecting the weather over the Alps next week, is the the wind direction is generally set to be from a northerly orientation whether it be North East, North West or directly north, as such 850HPA temps are set to be generally below freezing and most of any precipitation down to most resort levels will be of snow. More details on this[b].[/b]

[b]Daily Summaries [/b]

[b]Sun 2 December - [/b]This week starts with a prominent Azores High (1032mb), high pressure over Eastern Greenland, Svalbard into Eastern Russia (1032mb), Low Pressure over much of mainland Europe including the Alps, generally cold or very cold here, and finally Low Pressure into Atlantic, which is set to move over UK, there is a mild sector attached, with a notable feature of a NW-SE flow of winds, so turning back colder again cold front behind pushes though. Wind direction for Alps E-NE, 850HPa below 0c throughout, sub -5c for the majority.

[attachment=146764:Synoptic 2 Dec.JPG]

[b]Mon 3 December - [/b]The Azores High (1032mb), forms a ridge with High Pressure to East a Canada, with a NW-SE flow of winds over Atlantic, still high pressure over Eastern Greenland, Svalbard into Eastern Russia but this weakening, low Pressure over Atlantic, into UK and over much of Europe, generally cold, but milder for a times UK/Alps, turning back colder later as NW winds set in.

[attachment=146763:Synoptic 3 Dec.JPG]

[b]Tue [/b][b][b]4 December [/b] - [/b]The pattern turns a bit messier by Tuesday, with Pressure over Svalbard falling, with low pressure generally over much of Europe low, very cold over Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, cold over UK and the Alps (sub zero 850Hpa), with winds from a NW direction with the original air source from the North East. Weak areas of High Pressure (a surface High) over Greenland and a weakening Azores High.

[attachment=146762:Synoptic 4 Dec.JPG]

[b]Wed [/b][b][b][b]5 December [/b][/b] - [s] [/s][/b]Not that different synoptically to Tuesday, but everything movers a bit further SE, so turning a little colder over parts of UK and Alps (sub -5c 850Hpa in places)

[attachment=146761:Synoptic 5 Dec.JPG]

[b]Towards Weekend[/b] [b] -[/b]

Quite a bit of uncertainty at the moment, with low pressure over much of Europe, and the weather set to be cold or very cold, an added complication is set High pressure is trying to nudge in from the Azores for the UK.

[attachment=146765:Synoptic 7 Dec.JPG]

[b]Alps Weather[/b]

[b]Sun 2 December - [/b]Periods of precipitation over much of the Alps today, Freezing Levels 400-600m (North), 1000-1200m (South), so most of the precipitation will be of snow.
[attachment=146776:Alps 2 Dec.JPG]

[b][b]Mon 3 December - [/b][/b]Apart from some patchy precipitation over Austria in the morning, mostly dry until a warm front pushed into western areas, Freezing Levels 300-900m generally, 1200-1500m South West. During the afternoon and evening heavier precipitation over France, Switzerland, and western parts of Italy, Germany and Austria, in the warm sector, freezing levels up to 1200-2000m. [attachment=146775:Alps 3 Dec.JPG]

[b][b]Tue [/b][b][b]4 December [/b][/b]- [/b]Precipitation continuing generally overnight with the heaviest of the precipitation over France, Switzerland, and western parts of Italy, Germany and Austria, the Freezing level dropping on Tuesday as well, 800m-1200m generally for Alps, 1400-1600m for NW Italy. The precipitation continuing in these areas well into the evening, and only slowly easing, with Freezing level continuing to fall, so most of the precipitation will be of snow to resort level. [attachment=146774:Alps 4 Dec.JPG]

[b]Wed [/b][b][b][b]5 December [/b][/b] - [/b]The precipitation from previous days is set to continue into Wednesday, but moderate falls are likely over France and Switzerland at times, freezing levels around, 700m-900m generally for Alps, 1000-1100m for NW Italy. [attachment=146773:Alps 5 Dec.JPG]

[b]Outlook - [/b]Looking generally unsettled with further precipitation, however freezing levels are difficult to determine as exact placement of low pressure is likely to effect wind directions involved.

[b]Summary - [/b]For most resorts down to low levels, snow cover and depth with increase this week, with 50cm of new snow possible in some resorts, more especially towards the North West.

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