Weather and snow outlook for Alps, update on avalanches, non-ski options

Fresh snow in Switzerland's canton Valais: near Visp, 7 January 2010

Update 13:00  Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Snow and cold have been taunting much of northern Europe for the past week, but the Swiss Alps have had only moderate amounts of fresh snow and little of the killer cold that has struck Britain and other regions. The worst snow news in the Swiss Alps in the past week has been several deaths and injuries from avalanches.

Winter in the Lake Geneva region offers more than just downhill skiing and snowboarding. Portable ice-skating rinks (list for Vaud) became popular two years ago and they have allowed a number of small towns to offer this to the public for affordable prices.

One opened for the new year in front of the Federal Parliament building in Bern. Snow-shoe trekking is popular in the Jura. Two resorts, Diablerets and Aminona (Crans-Montana) offer thrilling long sledding runs, 7.2 and 6.2km respectively.

Beginners and the less brave will find sleds on sale in many stores, part of the post-Christmas clearout, and most resorts have popular hillsides where sledding is free. Crans offers nighttime tubing on the golf course, popular with young people.

And if you are a thrills seeker, try paragliding over snowy mountains. Resorts that offer this include Crans-Montana, Leysin, Verbier and Vercorin.

Snow in canton Bern, Switzerland, near Thun at sunrise 7 January 2010

Swiss Alps weather forecast

Snow flurries are forecast Friday and all weekend, throughout the Alpine region (including on the plain), with highs hovering around freezing but only -1C on Sunday. At 2,000 metres: highs of -7C, so dress warmly. Icy bise winds in the Lake Geneva region, but moderate winds in the Alps most of the weekend, dying down by Sunday. The start of next week should be dry and cold in resort areas (MeteoSwiss).

Ski conditions

Swiss and French Alps: Very good powder snow on higher slopes in all resorts, skiers are reporting, and during the week there were no crowds, so the slopes remain in good condition. Even sunny resorts like Crans-Montana, where snow melts relatively quickly, have enough decent snow so you can ski down to the station. Verbier has a great offer for 17 January, so plan ahead: CHF120 for a family of two to four (one must be a child) to take the train directly from Geneva airport to the foot of the slopes, with music on board and a cold breakfast. Coffee served on arrival. Note that night skiing is not being offered 8 January in Crans-Montana due to the weather forecast. The resort has added a detailed description of what the snow park offers snowboarders.

Jura report from Shirley Curran (who was stuck in England this week when her flight home was canceled due to heavy snows there): The bitter weather is expected to continue for some time with temperatures dropping as low as -11C, so you should wrap up warmly if you venture into our Jura resorts. We are still waiting for the big fall and there will be some precipitation in the next few days. Skiing is possible at La Vattay and Crozet/Lelex, though only 25 percent of the installations are functioning. The La Faucille Telecombi is operating only for snow shoe specialists and walkers. You would be wise to check the Monts-Jura website for updates before setting out.

Avalanche update

Eight people died in three avalanches and more than a dozen were injured in the past week, with the danger level at 3 (“considerable”). Le Matin reports Friday morning that Bern police have confirmed that there were three, not two avalanches Sunday morning 5 January. The third one, at almost exactly the same time and in the same area of Diemtigtal, caught one snowboarder, who managed to free himself. Another barely missed it.

Weather is colder, but slopes remain dangerous, with the level expected to stay at 3 throughout most of Vaud and Valais Alpine areas, says SLF (Swiss Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research ). The centre now has an excellent chart, the European Danger Scale with Recommendations, useful for anyone considering going off-piste.

Details from SLF: “The snow layering is of highly varied structure. In some areas, faceted, weak layers are evident, interspersed with rain crusts up to altitudes of approximately 2500 m. Loosely packed snow lies atop the surface in many areas, in some places accompanied by surface hoar. More deeply embedded layers are inadequately bonded to each other in some regions. Particularly on the northern flank of the Alps and in the southern Valais, the snow layering on south facing slopes is no more favourable than on north facing slopes.”

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.