Update, 15 January weather forecast for the week, for skiers:

Dawn in Zermatt 12 January (photo ©2012 William Olenick)

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – If you’re able to ski during the week, concentrate on getting up to the slopes at the start of this week, with temperatures hovering around zero, some cloudiness mornings but clear skies and sunshine in the afternoons.

By late Wednesday some rain is likely in warmer areas, with intermittent light snow in the mountains and the snow line at 1,000 metres, highs of 4C.

Thursday: expect winds to pick up, rain and snow with the snow line moving up to 1,500 metres before falling to 600 metres on Friday, with the high Friday around 1C and gusting winds.

Jura skiing, 13 January, a half-hour from Geneva

The huge piles of snow dumped on Switzerland and neighbouring France are turning ski resorts into winter wonderlands and there is an amazing mix of things to do.

Our Jura correspondent, Shirley Curran, was skiing on the mountains you pass over as you fly into Geneva, Friday afternoon, and she says the weather was good (just a few clouds), the snow fantastic, and too few people in Geneva seem to realize that fast chairs, excellent snow and very good slopes are just 20-30 minutes from home.

Weather forecast should send you to the hills

Temperatures hovering around 0C with some cloudiness in the mornings in the mountains and on the plains, sun in the afternoon Saturday and Sunday in the Alps. Gusting winds are a possibility in the Jura.

For those interested in Swiss mountain life, two bits of news are worth checking out.

Avalanche update

The avalanche danger in most areas has eased considerably in the past five days and is now moderate, 2/5, in most Alpine areas. Saturday avalanche bulletin, WSL

Swiss will vote 12 March on second homes limitation

Swiss federal council Doris Leuthard Friday 13 January presented the government’s position on a popular vote scheduled for 11 March, that would limit to 20 percent the number of second homes in any Swiss commune. The popular initiative is the work of Helvetia Nostra, an environmental and heritage protection group created by the Franz Weber Foundation. The federal government opposes the initiative, which is creating heated political debates in canton Valais in particular, where some villages well over 60 percent of residences are second homes, for example Nendaz and Leukebad/Loeche-les-bains, TSR reports late Friday.

Switzerland has close to half a million second homes.

Leuthard says the cabinet considers the initiative too rigid and that it does not take into account widely varying situations. A new law went into effect in July 2011 that obliges cantons and communes to better oversee and plan land development.

Cows, cat and caretaker get helicopter rides out of avalanche-prone area

Before you think about your own avalanche fears, give a thought to six cows, a cat and their caretaker, all airlifted by helicopter from their winter home in canton Graubuenden, for fear they were at risk from an avalanche! If you can’t view this because you’re outside of Switzerland (TV rights sometimes make this happen), try viewing it on our Facebook page.

Beware icy roads in mountain areas

Head-on crash in Bovernier leaves 2 in serious condition

Some news from the mountains is not good news. The road between Martigny and Verbier/St Bernard tunnel has accidents far too often.

The latest occurred Thursday afternoon, when a head-on crash in Bovernier sent three people to hospital. A 48-year-old Geneva driver was heading from Sembrancher to Martigny when, for reasons that are unclear, the car veered to the left and crashed into the car of an English driver, age 30.

A 29-year-old passenger in the second car as well as the driver from Geneva are in serious condition in hospital.

Roads have been cleared throughout the region but conditions can be icy.

Jura report

Jura skiing, Lake Geneva far below, 13 January

by Shirley Curran

We have exceptionally good conditions in the Jura mountains at the moment. Cold weather has continued and there is a fine covering of snow everywhere with most of our uphill transport operating and no queues at all.

Why would anyone spend an hour or more driving when impressive conditions are available on the doorstep?

My tip is to go to the montsjura.com website and check the webcams. They are the ‘carte de visite’.

Swiss Alps

Conditions in the Alps could not be better, so expect heavy traffic on the roads Saturday morning: Friday evening was busy.

Consider taking the train; Valais super deal SkiCard

The CFF rail company and resorts offer a number of special rail and ski deals that are worth checking out, for example 30 percent off on 1-2 day passes for Nendaz with 30 percent off on the train, from now to the end of January (snow conditions: excellent).

The pre-paid Valais SkiCard is an excellent deal for anyone who intends to get in a lot of skiing this winter and who wants to ski in several resorts and tests run throughout Switzerland’s busiest resort area. One card gives you access to 54 ski areas and 4 thermal baths; several price options exist, starting at CHF100, and you can buy the card in any one of several locations, with an ID and photo.

Plan ahead

A tip from GenevaLiving: sign up now for the 22 January free day of skiing for your children, at several resorts!

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