Pack your thermal underwear!
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – We’re heading for the slopes shortly, so this will be short and sweet: a great weekend of skiing and snowboarding is out that for those who are ready to brave the cold.
Weather forecast, avalanche conditions, snow depth
Snow whipped off rooftops and swirled around village streets near Lake Geneva, Friday morning
From now until Tuesday: sunny skies with icy temperatures. Everywhere. Wild winds that are already whipping up Lake Geneva are likely to continue through the weekend, “adding to the impression of fierce cold”, says the national weather service, MeteoSwiss.
Temperatures of -10Cwith a high of -8 in Geneva Friday will keep falling, to -12 with a high of -6 by Sunday, and only -7 Tuesday.
Southern Alps areas and the Jura will be some of the cold spots, with La Chaux-de-fonds and Zermatt having overnight lows of -21C Saturday.
Strong winds, up to 55 and 65 kph over the weekend will build in strength, reaching 75kph in many areas and 95kph in Eastern Switzerland at the start of next week.
Snow depth
Small amounts of new snow have fallen in most mountain areas in the past three days. The depth at 2,000 metres throughout the Alps remains more than 200cm and will remain that way given the cold spell. The depth in the Jura is 20-50cm even at 1,200metres.
Avalanche risks are relatively low, 2/5 in most areas except northern Ticino, where it is 3/5.
Jura report
by Shirley Curran
Although the snow conditions are superb, it is extremely cold up on our local hills and the temperatures are due to drop every day until Sunday when we might expect a very slight rise, from the predicted -20C to minus 17! The bise wind is due to strengthen.
If you enjoy feathery light snow and extremely cold weather, this is the time to head for the Jura – but wrap up well and plan lots of stops for hot wine or hot chocolate. The cold is fearsome! As always, I recommend that you check the webcams and the website at Monts-Jura.com before you load up the car.
Alps report: sun and cold weather should provide some perfect skiing, but check resorts for wind closings before you head out, given that the wind is likely to pick up as the weekend goes on. Check our previous winter weekend snow and winter sports reports for links to a number of resorts.
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – This report is coming to you a bit later than usual as we waited for the ski news to improve and, happily, it has, but it’s not the perfect weekend for beginners. Sunday promises occasional glimpses of sun.
Yes there is snow, fresh snow, throughout much of the Alps, the depth is excellent everywhere and there is good powder. The snow line has been falling since early morning, to 400 metres in some areas.
The less happy news, for those who like blue skies, is that there aren’t any: gray is the norm. And for less confident skiers, whiteout conditions come and go, especially at relatively low altitudes.
In the news: Vaud is studying the option of a super-region that would connect Gstaad-Diableret-Villars-Gryon. The canton has ordered the “Vision Alpes vaudoises 2020″ study that estimates it would cost CHF160 million to build new lifts to link up the resorts and to recreate others, notably in the Glacier 3000 area. Other runs could be closed.
Note that the Vaud Alps resorts share an information web site, which has useful information in English, but if the links don’t take you anywhere try switching to French.
Keep French and Swiss school holiday dates in mind if you’re planning a ski trip in the near future, as the slopes become much busier at these times. Geneva school break starts 11 February, Vaud and Neuchatel break starts 25 February and French schools break at these times depending on their zones.
This weekend Swiss mountain roads are very icy and chains will be needed in more places than usual, with daytime temperatures just above zero then falling at dusk.
Weather forecast
Temperatures will start to fall, with daytime highs of 2 Sunday in most of Western Switzerland. A mixed snow and sun picture: intermittent snow is expected, with occasional sunshine.
Looking ahead, MeteoSwiss says we could be in for one of the coldest snaps in February in years, with highs next weekend already falling, to -6 and -7.
Special activities, offers in resorts this week
Anzeres has a deal worth considering: reserve before 31 January and you can get 20 percent off on several things including a number of hotels and apartments, ski passes, and equipment rentals.
Gstaad kicks off a winter season of 16 concerts at the beautiful old Rougement church, Sunday 29 January.
Leysin/Les Mosses hosts the start of the beautiful Transalp dog races 30 January. This run that covers 160 km of mountain terrain ends 5 February and is one of the highlights of the Alpine purebred Huskies dog race season.
You can now buy package tickets that combine various fun things like fondue dinners with the Villars Night Show that starts 11 February and is on Saturdays and Wednesdays through March.
Jura report
by Shirley Curran
We have another week before the French holidays begin in earnest and we have been favoured this year by great falls of snow. More is expected at the end of the week. As always, it is a good idea to log in to Monts-jura.com and check the webcams to see our impressive conditions for yourself. Snow depth: 120-155cm, depending on the station.
Ed. note: the site corrected Friday evening’s forecast noting that Saturday morning opened with clear skies, although the web cams show clouding over by noon, so definitely check the site for the latest updates.
Alpine resorts
Holding up against the snow - just
Anzere The snowcross (snowmobile) races as well as the 4x mountain bike on snow races scheduled for Saturday 28 January have been postponed; stay tuned for an update.
Crans-Montana Mostly open, with little wind in the region. Snow conditions superb.
Gstaad 80% of runs are open, but whiteout conditions throughout much of the area
Leysin Slopes open, except superpipe snow park, and hints of sunshine. A highlight this winter, with the great snow, is the village toboggan park that features 8 corridors of 150-200 metres and snow tubing, open from 10-20:00
Verbier Virtually everything open, avalanche risk down to level 2, snow depth at Les Gentianes at 310cm and for the good skiers who love this place, the gray skies won’t matter, although with temperatures at -3 to -10, it’s chillier than it’s been.
Villars Mostly open, 10cm of fresh snow added to the 235cm depth.
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
Snow, snow and more snow throughout the Alps!
"Snow is getting deep here and no end in sight", from a GenevaLunch friend in Zermatt, 18:00 Friday (good luck!)
Updated 21:50 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Weather is top of the weekend news, with snow falling and falling in the mountains, at long last, even down to the plain. Zermatt, Verbier and all other major resorts now have snow, an abundance of it, in the villages at the bottom of the slopes, and more is on the way.
A white Christmas is guaranteed at this point, whether or not you’re on the pistes!
If you don’t yet have winter tires on your car, don’t delay: the snow will be mixed with rain and ice in many areas, with wild high winds Friday and Saturday in some areas.
Chains: you rarely need them in Switzerland because main mountain roads are cleared promptly, but be sure to have a set in the car for the winter.
Weather forecast and snow
Golf course in the centre of Crans-Montana, at 1,700m altitude, with snow falling at 09:20 Friday morning (source: CM webcam)
Note for Geneva residents: the city frequently had more than 50cm of snow a year until the mid-1980s, but the amount of snow has dropped since then (flip side is that the amount of sunshine has risen). That doesn’t mean Geneva will be snow-free this winter, but the weekend forecast is for temperatures of 3-9C with rain and strong winds by Saturday, gusting at 90-115kph on the plain.
Jura, but especially northern Jura areas can expect continuing gusts above 110kph.
Driving conditions in the Valais mountain resorts are treacherous late Friday, with snow plows struggling to keep up with the heavy snowfall, so if you’re heading up for a first skiing session, take care. Warm foehn winds blew in lower Alpine areas Friday morning, but by afternoon colder winds with gusts of up to 150kph hit some parts of the Alps, while others had steady but quiet snow falling.
Canton Graubuenden, with its famed resorts of Davos, Klosters, St Moritz and more, has “abundant” snow falling, with lower temperatures than other resort areas, -7C to highs of -1C.
Alpine resorts
Note that they are virtually all closed Friday because of high winds and heavy snowfalls; check the resorts for open runs before heading there for a day on the slopes.
Diablerets and Villars: free skiing (limited number of lifts) for everyone before Sunday 17 December! Snow falling, Glacier 3000 reports snow depths of 50-85cm.
Verbier reports a very high level of avalanches, plenty of snow in the town by late morning and snow continuing to fall. Note that the Friday reports on the web site were a bit behind, noting for example a snow depth of 110cm at Les Ruinettes (2,200 metres) and none in the village (report from 08:00).
Crans-Montana, steady snow falling this week, snow depth has reached 117-150cm in the past two days!
Jura ski resorts
by Shirley Curran
(late Thursday) Last weekend, there was enough snow for our season to begin at the Col de la Faucille, though conditions were rather wet and gloomy. It has snowed and rained intermittently since then and the resorts are now boasting 25cm of snow with more falling steadily and a significant cold snap expected. The official opening date of 17 December 17 seems to be on target. The webcams give you an honest view of the situation.
An attractive offer is being made by the Lake Geneva Tourist Office for anyone visiting the area. Here is an extract!
“For one overnight stay or longer in a partner hotel, you can familiarize yourself free of charge with snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, while exploring the vast spaces of the Jura mountain range. Relax as you discover our 405 km of cross-country trails and our 105 km of snowshoeing trails for all difficulty grades. Well maintained and safe trails await you and will allow you to discover new experiences.”
Neighbouring France resorts
Snow has continued to fall this week and there is no shortage of the white stuff at Meribel, Val d’Isere, Courcheval and other main resorts.
Val d'Isere in France was the winner for snowfalls this week!
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Winter has definitely arrived, and if you are up for skiing, the slopes are ready for you!
We are kicking off GenevaLunch’s winter season weekly snow and sports reports, a Friday morning roundup from Swiss and some French resorts with weather forecasts, snow conditions, avalanche reports , travel news, competition results and more.
Shirley Curran once again reports every weekend from the Jura and Ellen Wallace from the Alps, with others occasionally contributing videos or special reports from the slopes.
Weather forecast
Wednesday and Thursday the Alps had very strong winds, adding some instability to snow on the slopes: MeteoSwiss measured 149.8 km/h at Chasseral, 148 km/h at the Titlis and 130 km/h at Diablerets. Chasseral was particularly affected with the average speed of the wind over 10 minutes more than 100 km/h for more than three hours.
For the weekend: temperatures hovering between 2 and 8-9C throughout the region this weekend, with some rain in the Jura and generally dry in the Alps, but temperatures below zero at altitude will allow the fresh snow to remain. More snow is expected Tuesday, but then the snow line should rise to 2000 m before falling next Friday to 1,000m, as schools break up for the holidays.
Snow conditions
This slope in the centre of Val d'Isere was technically closed Thursday, but skiers decided otherwise
Variable is the best word, with the snow that fell at the start of the week falling heavily in some resorts, less so in others.
Valais police are warning caution, with the snow base unstable. A six-year-old child caught by an avalanche Wednesday died during the night after being hospitalized.
Snow levels in Alpine stations Thursday: see the SLF snow depth map for Friday, showing all of Switzerland. Crans-Montana opens this weekend, with powder, but the base is still only 20-50cm. Verbier, Les Ruinettes has 44cm. Central Valais had more snow early in the week than lower Valais, closer to Lake Geneva, and Zermatt has snow down to the village, with virtually all lifts operating. Vaud Alps also received heavier snowfalls, so Gstaad has 20-65cm.
Switzerland’s most reliable and richest source of information on snow conditions is the daily Avalanche Bulletin published in English and other languages by SLF, the Swiss Snow and Avalanche Research Institute.
Jura report
by Shirley Curran
Things are looking very promising for our Jura resorts – better than last year when we had a magnificent dump of snow at the start of December that was all washed away during the second week. There is already snow on our summits and the official opening of Crozet-Lélex, and La Faucille-Mijoux and, of course Menthières and Le
Vattey is 17 December. The higher resorts will, exceptionally, be running this weekend if they deem that there is sufficient snow. You can see the state of snow coverage for yourself if you visit the official website and click on ‘Webcams’.
The plan at the momentis to run the Telecombi at the Col de la Faucille and two other lifts during the weekend. Of course, that depends on the weather.
France Voisine, Val d’Isère
If you want to remind yourself what glorious winter snow is like, head for the French resort, just under three hours from Geneva Airport by car or shuttle bus. The peaks had 1.7 metres in just three days at the start of the week and the village itself, at 1,850 metres, is heavily covered and charmingly wintry. Temperatures are hovering around zero on the slopes, so the snow is in good condition.
Tourists and cell phone cameras capture the jet d'eau in Geneva 22 November
Keeping the dog safe from the leaves, canton Vaud, lakefront, 3 November
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Expect rain this weekend around Lake Geneva, with gentle temperatures of 11-13C and autumn colours remaining unless the rainfall becomes too heavy.
Canton Valais will be spared much of the rain, with warm foehn winds blowing hard and raising temperatures to 18-19C.
The weekend kicks off the November-December pre-holidays boom in events in the region.
The Leman Expat Fair is a popular introduction to the area for newcomers with information about local services for old hands as well. Lausanne has an arts and crafts fair and its Scottish Church is holding its pre-Christmas bazaar. Schilliger Garden Centre is open extra hours with its magnificent Christmas displays.
Check out the complete editor’s selection of events in the region on the GenevaLunch events page!
It’s also the start of the glamorous charity events season, with the big Geneva Charity Ball kicking things off 18 November. The high-octane event is selling tickets to the public; this year’s recipients are Clair Bois, Paidos, SOS Children’s Villages and The World Youth Education Trust.
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Unseasonably warm weather and sunny to hazty skies are expected in most of Switzerland Saturday 1 October and Sunday.
Highs of 22C with lows of 10-11C will usher in October, with little rain or change in temperature for the week to come, according to MeteoSwiss, the national weather service.
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The sun is struggling to come out across Switzerland after two weeks of cold and soggy weather, but the forecast promises it will be here for Monday 1 August. The weekend weather forecast is mixed, sun alternating with rain in most regions.
Early weekend traffic is not expected to be a major problem in most areas, with the holiday falling on a Monday.
Fireworks in some areas are held Sunday evening 31 July but in most towns the pyrotechnics and bonfires are scheduled for Monday. Check local municipal web sites for details (note: townname.ch will take you to most of these sites)
Geneva is giving advance warning of traffic changes starting Thursday 4 August for the huge Geneva Festival, with traffic on the Mont Blanc bridge reduced to two lanes, and closed entirely during the two weekends of the festival, which last year attracted 100,000 people.
- Switzerland’s national holiday explained (GenevaLunch 2010)
- Safety precautions for 1 August celebrations from the Swiss Safety Council
- Celebrate by biting into a very Swiss apple!
- up to the minute traffic details on the federal truck traffic site and TSR’s mobile services page (Fr)
Rainbow 19 June near Chamoson, canton Valais: expect some showers or cloudiness at the start of the weekend, then sun and warm weather Sunday
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The Lake Geneva region and canton Valais can expect a bit of mixed weather late Friday and Saturday, with temperatures in the 11-23C range. Bring out the sun cream for Sunday, though, when temperatures will climb to 28C and not a cloud in sight, we’re promised.
You won’t run out of things to do, from watching regattas on Lake Geneva to flea markets to seeing how wine is made, if you check out our weekend events listings. Add in a good dose of exercise by trying out the new Swiss hiking/biking/skating official Swisstopo maps that you can get online and as handy mobile apps, or head for some of canton Vaud’s beautiful outdoor public swimming pools when the air warms up Sunday.
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – A 60-day drought in the lower reaches of the Yangtse River in China is set to continue, the country’s meteorological service said Sunday evening, 29 May. Rainfall in the area since January has been 40-60 percent less than in 2010, and no rain is expected in the next few days. More than 35 million people are affected by the dry weather, which has so far caused economic losses of 15 billion yuan ($2.3 billion), reports Xinhua, which notes that more than 4 million people are having trouble finding drinking water.
“China’s two largest fresh water lakes – Dongting Lake in Hunan and Poyang Lake in Jiangxi – are both drying up dramatically” and the price of vegetables is soaring, with fears that inflation in May will rise sharply as a result of the drought.
Last week the government began released enormous quantities of water, 5bn m3 a day, for irrigation and drinking water, from the Three Gorges dam, cutting back its capacity to generate power. The drought is the worst in 50 years in the region.
The Yangste is Asia’s longest river.
Earlier in May, shipping traffic on the Yangtse became problematic because of the low water level. A 140-mile stretch above Wuhan was closed 12 May to avoid further problems.
Links to other sites: China Post, Guardian, Reuters
Met Office's model of expected ash drift Tuesday, by 18:00 UTC (20:00 Swiss time)
Update 00:02 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Airports in Bremen and Hamburg, Germany, will be closed early Wednesday, the government announced, as Icelandic ash arrives in northern European air space. Scotland, which was most affected by the ash clouds Tuesday, expects its airports to be back to normal operations Wednesday.
The latest update on Icelandic ash heading towards Europe will be released in London at 18:00 UK time. Ash being spewed by Iceland’s Grimsvoetn volcano is being closely monitored for Europe by the Met Office in the UK, World Meteorological Organization members were told 24 May while meeting in Geneva. The Met Office is the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center for Northwest Europe, one of nine such centres throughout the world.
“The British Geological Survey (BGS) have described the eruption of Grímsvoetn that began over the weekend as a ‘significant eruption’ and the Icelandic Met Office (IMO) have reported ash continuing to be ejected to a height of 10km,” the Met Office said Tuesday morning in a press release.
“The movement of the ash plume will depend on how long the volcano continues to erupt and how weather patterns develop,” it noted, saying that while Scotland is expected to have some ash Tuesday, “further ahead, the outlook is very changeable with areas of low pressure likely to track across parts of northern Britain during the remainder of the week. This means that wind direction is likely to be quite variable.”
The eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in April 2010 caused widespread disruption to airlines.
The Lake Geneva region is good for weekend urban hikes: Geneva's Mont-Blanc bridge adorned with the UN and Geneva flags this week mark major world health and meteorology conferences
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Expect comfortable temperatures, with highs of 24-26C in western Switzerland over the weekend, but with sunshine mixed with thunderstorms, says MeteoSwiss.
Several events in the area should get you out of the house this weekend, including:
The Chateau de Chillon has on display 10 very special models of Lake Geneva’s historic paddle-wheel steamships, 1:50 scale models and some even 1:25: “La Suisse”, “Simplon”, “Helvétie”, “Rhône”, “Lausanne”, “Montreux”, “Savoie”, “Italie”, “Vevey” and the “Major-Davel”. The Lavaux vineyards that are a Unesco World Heritage site near the castle are now budding and green from the week’s rains, making it perfect for hiking.
Alpine and Jura mountain walks are never far away - cows out for a walk in Visperterminen, Valais
La Cote is learning a lesson from Geneva’s winemakers and this weekend’s winery open days in Mont-sur-Rolle will offer a shuttle bus to and from the Rolle train station and the 30 wineries that are participating. Pay CHF10 for a glass and you can sample the new wines in all the cellars for free (but don’t lose your glass!).
Nyon’s Gaos (Geneva Amateur Opera Society) offers good laughs with The Producer, which ends Saturday.
GenevaLunch editor takes one-day Swiss spin
Lungern in May, proof that you never become immune to spectacular views in Switzerland
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The weather forecast is getting tedious but if you’re a tourist and not a farmer it is pleasant: the weekend promises to be warm and sunny throughout Switzerland, lows around 9C and highs in the mid-20s, with slightly cooler nights at altitude.
Your editor had work in Saint Prex in Vaud, then Wohlen near Zurich and finally in Sierre in Valais Thursday, so took the opportunity to spin across a large part of Switzerland to see what spring was looking like, camera in hand. You can see photos from Wohlen to south of Lucerne, Thursday 5 May, in the new Central Switzerland in spring, May 2011 photo album.
Easter weekend: sunshine, warm temperatures iln most of Switzerland
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The weather forecast for Switzerland is for sunshine and more of it, with a few drops of rain in northeastern Switzerland on Sunday 24 April. Lows of 6-7C and highs of 23 in Geneva to 26 in most other areas. The southeast corner of the country, around Samedan, is the one chilly patch, with temperatures of -2 to 14C.
Easter Friday and Monday traffic on roads: expect delays, look for alternative routes
School holidays began in a dozen cantons Thursday afternoon, and traffic began to build up quickly on roads heading south. By Friday morning at 08:00 the logjam on the north side of the St Gotthard tunnel was already 4 km long, with a one-hour wait. Friday is expected to be a heavy travel day on all main roads in Switzerland, so expect slowdowns.
Road forecasts are available in French from TCS (Touring Club Suisse), which suggests that drivers heading south from French-speaking areas use alternatives to the St Gotthard, which is a main European north-south road, taking for example the Grand St Bernard route. The Swiss Highway Office’s web site for trucks is updated every minute or so, giving real-time information on traffic situations, one of the best sites for this. TSR, Swiss public television, also has good traffic situation maps.
Schools that have been on spring break for the past two weeks, including many in Geneva and Vaud, return Tuesday, and Monday is forecast to be a very heavy traffic day on roads.
Airports and roads to them are also expected to be busier than usual, so build in extra travel time.
The CFF rail company recommends reserving ahead for international trains.
Fire warnings issued in canton Vaud due to dryness
Farmers are watering fields early as animals are put out to pasture in Switzerland, in fields with slow growth due to dryness
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Temperature extremes are normal in April in Switzerland, with cool nights and warm days, but the week of 18 April promises to show off the phenomenon at its best, with cold and even frost in some parts of Switzerland early Monday, then temperatures rising to 22C.
Expect sunshine, with occasional clouds that won’t do more than provide a whiff of shade, throughout the week. Temperatures are expected to slowly climb, continuing Switzerland’s unususally dry and balmy month of April.
A few drops of rain are forecast in canton Valais starting Thursday, with expected highs of 24-25C, according to MeteoSwiss, the national weather service. Ed. note: keep abreast of forecasts on GenevaLunch’s MeteoSwiss weather pages.
Authorities in canton Vaud issued a rare spring public fire aert Friday, due to excessive dryness: it is now illegal to light a fire unless you are at least 10 metres from a wooded stretch. Valais has had an open-air fire ban since mid-March and Ticino has now banned open fires, with canton Graubuenden having a ban on fires near forests.
The national weather service notes that 2011 could well bypass 1976 as the driest year since records were started in 1870: Geneva will need more than 34cm of rain and Sion 44cm to avoid this.
Snow conditions, Spring skiing deals, this season’s improvements, Aminona resort, upcoming events
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Winter is officially behind us, clocks spring forward this weekend, and the snow is gone from the lower slopes, so this will be GenevaLunch’s final weekend snow and winter sports report for 2010-2011 season.
There is still time to ski and even sled, so snow fans have little to worry about, but you’ll need to check first to see where the snow is. Be sure to take along the sun cream!
Weather forecast
Snowpark at Corvatsch, St Moritz, 25 February 2011
Highs on the plain and at low altitudes, including Geneva, of 18-20C Saturday, with sunshine, but clouds building in the afternoon. Expect mountain highs of 16C Sunday and snow Sunday afternoon down to 1,700-1,900 metres.
Resorts closing, but special offers in some that stay open
This is the final weekend of skiing for most resorts at lower altitudes. This includes the Jura, where there is still, happily, enough snow for a few final downhill runs. Shirley Curran reports:
“Our Jura ski season closes Sunday, 27 March, but it is still possible to ski at Crozet and Lelex. Indeed, in the middle of the week, the run right down to Lelex was still in operation, though the cover down there is thin. Eight lifts will be running on Saturday and Sunday but it is a good idea to get up there early as the snow becomes very soft in the afternoon. You will need suncream too. The season is already over at the Col de la Faucille.”
MySwitzerland, the national tourism office, has a list of resorts that remain open in April, with special spring skiing deals as well as a list of the glacier resorts, some of which offer summer skiing later on.
GenevaLunch’s series, Swiss dream ski week, will be completed Sunday 27 March with the final article, on Zermatt, the slopes and the town. The report on Davos published 25 March points out that great skiing and snowboarding is available there until the end of April.
Avalanche alerts, for those going off-piste or doing back country skiing: moderate / level 2 on the northern flank of the Alps, but high / level 3 on the southern side, from lower Valais to the Goms. Details in the national daily avalanche bulletin, in English.
Looking back, changes during the 2010-2011 ski season
Snow machines are everywhere
Snow has been falling at higher altitudes, although not in great quantities, as on the road to the Simplon Pass 14 March
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Blue skies and 10C in Geneva Friday morning 18 March make it hard to use the word “winter” but resorts are still open and the snow remains decent to good in most areas.
Weather forecast, snow conditions, avalanche warnings
Highs of 10C around Lake Geneva, 14C in Valais for the weekend, with occasional cloudiness, but mostly sunny, turning sunny for the start of next week. Snow down to 900 metres in cooler areas, which could give the Jura a final spring covering on the slopes. Details, Meteosuisse (Fr)
MySwitzerland’s snow conditions report indicates that it has snowed in several resorts in the past 24 hours, although in most places, such as Crans-Montana, the snowfall above the resort was 10cm.
The avalanche warnings are at level 3, “considerable” throughout all mountain areas: warm late winter days are the peak time for them. The national avalanche institute notes that “The old snowpack is thoroughly wet in all expositions below 2000 to 2200 m. Particularly on west to north to east facing slopes, the old snowpack is prone to triggering.” Even north-facing slopes below 2,200 metres are at risk where steep slopes have not yet discharged, it says.
Hikers are starting to walk in the mountains, thanks to the warm weather and low snowfall this winter which means many areas are clear of snow. Use caution: a man died near St Luc Friday 17 March after slipping on ice and then sliding 100 metres, while on a mountain walk.
Resorts news
Les Faucilles, Jura, 5 March 2011 (photo, ©2011: Shirley Curran)
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Blue skies, warm weather, and the snow is holding in most places, although this will clearly go down in the records as a winter when it mostly forgot to snow during the ski season. This week we bring you an abbreviated edition of the winter sports weekend news to continue producing our Swiss dream ski week series, with Scuol next, after St Moritz.
Weather forecast
Western Switzerland will have almost summery, balmy weather, with highs of 15-16C and sunshine Friday and part of Saturday, with cloudy skies and rain gradually moving in. Highs of 12-13C Sunday. The Alps show a mixed picture, with highs in canton Valais of 16C this weekend, and yet snow is expected at high altitudes. The dry, warm foehn wind will be blowing at lower altitudes. Details, in French, MeteoSwiss
Southeastern Switzerland, however, will have highs of 3-6C, starting around Zermatt, and in Samedan in Graubuenden, the high for the weekend is expected to be -1C.
Snow conditions and avalanche warnings
Moderate, level 2 warnings for avalanches Friday, 10 March and snow conditions remain generally good, but check daily snow reports from MySwitzerland, by resort.
Jura ski report
by Shirley Curran
Conditions remain surprisingly good in our Jura resorts, as the weather becomes milder. From next week, the Crozet telecabine will be running only on wednesday and at the weekends, though you can reach the resort from the Lelex side of the mountain. The Faucille will remain open for your end of season ski-ing with a variety of lifts and pistes available.
Dream Swiss ski week
Snowpark at Corvatsch, St Moritz, 25 February 2011
If you’re a good skier and dream of heading off for a week of some of the best slopes in Switzerland with a friend, this is for you.
Share a week in some of Switzerland’s top resorts for good skiers with reporters Nick and Liam Bates: Verbier, en route by train, and St Moritz have been published. Scuol, Davos and Zermatt will be published Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Click on images to view larger
Jura skiing, on Geneva's doorstep, in the fresh March air above the Geneva Motor Show
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) -Spring weather is upon us, with temperatures well above zero C during the day throughout the region and no fresh snow in sight over the weekend.
Head for Oslo, Norway, if you want colder weather, where the Nordic Ski World Championships finish this weekend.
Closer to home, if you’re not interested in going to the mountains, Geneva will be awash in car fans, for the Geneva Motor Show, one of the world’s largest car shows. Biel/Bienne starts its five-day carnival festivities a bit later in the week, Wednesday 9 March, with some seriously noisy and fun brass band competitions.
Warning about Sunday traffic: the Vaud school holiday ends and the car show is on: the combination will create dense traffic starting at 15:00 on the autoroutes heading back to Geneva.
Weather forecast
Nighttime temperatures just below 0C and during the day highs of 7-8C, with 5-6C in the mountains at 1,500-1,800 metres altitude. Fog on the plain in the mornings, to 800-1,000m, dissipating or thinning during the afternoons, a bonus for Jura resorts where you can ski in the sun and look down on poor Genevans in the fog. Temperatures are expected to stay in this range until Thursday.
Details, MeteoSwiss (Fr). Check GenevaLunch weather pages, from the national weather service, for current Geneva and Zurich temperatures and weather forecast in English.
Avalanche warnings
The danger level is 3,”considerable” along the northern flank of the Alps, the northern lower Valais which includes several popular resorts and the main Alpine ridge from the Matterhorn to Furka. Fresh snow has been 10-25cm. The Swiss national avalanche bulletin Saturday morning 5 March notes:
“In northern regions more than anywhere else, there are faceted, loosely packed layers of old snow embedded inside the snowpack which are prone to triggering in many areas. Released avalanches and weak snow profiles make clear that these weak layers must be taken into consideration at altitudes as of the treeline. In addition, in all regions of the Swiss Alps, there are freshly formed snowdrift accumulations, particularly in areas adjacent to ridge lines and pass areas.”
A sad note: a well-known and very experienced Canadian skier from Verbier, Scott Mann, who ran the Surefoot shop in Verbier, lost his life in an avalanche near Mont Bonvin in Crans-Montana early in the week.
News from the resorts
Snow cover remains good in the Jura resorts and blue skies are returning for the weekend
The anticyclone that was stationary over our Jura mountains has at last moved on and the sunshine is back. The snow cover is still good at both Crozet/Lélex and La Faucille/Mijoux with about 60 percent of the lifts operating at Cozet, and good runs still available right down to Mijoux and Lélex. Up above Geneva’s layer of murk there is good skiing to be had and the French holiday crowds are diminishing.
Alps
The small bit of snow that fell last week isn’t enough to excite off-piste skiers, but it gave the resorts enough to look brighter and whiter and to keep skiers happy.
Snow is hard underneath a thin layer of fresh snow in most resorts, but it varies, so do check MySwitzerland’s up-to-date guide to snow conditions.
Zermatt and the 4 Vallees areas are the only ones with a depth of over 100cm, although Verbier has 93cm and Crans-Montana 79cm, and there is powder in several places.
Snowpark at Corvatsch, St Moritz, 25 February 2011
GenevaLunch on Sunday starts its special five-day report on Dream Ski Week: five of the best resorts in a week, for good skiers. One of these is St Moritz, and if you’re tempted by our report, keep in mind that next weekend you can catch one of the most impressive ski sights of the year, the 42 km Engadine Ski Marathon, with some 20,000 participants. Reserve your hotel room ahead, given the visiting crowd of cross-country racers.
The run, with spectacular scenery and great snow, is from Maloja to S-chanf, with the half-marathon from Maloja to Pontresina. Tempted to join the race? You can register until the day before the event, 12 March.
Jura early morning skiing, before the fog disappears below, to sit over Geneva
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - A short message to wish you all well outdoors this weekend, because the weather and a whiff of fresh snow are combining to offer good times in the Alps! Friday morning saw lower altitude Lake Geneva towns sitting in gloomy gray weather, with clearer weather if not sunny above, in the Jura.
Slopes, snow conditions: generally good throughout Switzerland, although more fresh snow is still needed everywhere. Limited snow park and off-piste skiing. There have been yet more serious accidents on the slopes this week, including two where children fell off skilifts. Icy slopes continue to cause accidents: slow down.
Shirley Curran reports from the Jura: Both the Col de la Faucille and the Crozet-Lélex resorts are now operating, though the cover is thin at La Faucille. We have had snow and rain this week and the slopes
are very busy with two French holiday regions having their ski week at once, and the Swiss schools. However, it is again sunny above Geneva’s cloud layer. The excellent grooming continues on the slopes, so that the good conditions continue.
Weather forecast: highs of 7-9C Saturday, with sunny to lightly overcast skies in western Switzerland, including resorts in canton Valais. Rain moving in Sunday, with the snow line falling to 800 metres, and temperatures 5-7C, slightly colder at altitude.
Roads: keep in mind that canton Geneva drivers will be packing the roads Sunday afternoon and evening, as their school holidays end. Check TSR and the federal truck traffic site for live updates on accidents, heavy traffic patches and weather conditions, particularly for mountain areas and main autoroute junctions.
We’re cutting short our report this weekend, with a promise to bring you some of the best of Swiss skiing throughout next week! Off to the pistes now.
Weather forecast, driving on Swiss mountain roads, watch the icy slopes
Jura has had some fresh snow this week (photo: Shirley Curran)
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Expect traffic on the roads and on the trains: this weekend is the height of the school holiday period with families heading towards the slopes from cantons Geneva and Vaud as well as parts of France.
The snow cover might be thinner than winter sports fans like, but snowmaking machines and snow left from December are keeping the pistes white. And, cross your fingers, the weather people are telling us to expect snow down to about 1,000m Sunday, cooler temperatures Monday and the snow line falling to 600-800 m.
Better yet, all of this should be followed by clearer skies early in the week in Valais.
Switzerland received almost no new snow in the past week. What little fell landed mostly in the Jura, so it is one of the good places to go if you’re looking for snow Saturday.
We’re repeating a word of caution this week because there have been yet more injuries and a death linked to icy slopes. A 16-year-old from Neuchatel died 15 February, two weeks after she crashed going down a slope that had been closed, during a school ski trip. TSR has a good page, in French, with advice on safety and health tips including common sense pointers for those who love going off piste.
Canton Vaud police have offered a few tips on driving in the mountains to help the foreigners on the roads, which we’re sharing with you.
Weather forecast
It's the Jura this week! Snow .... (photo, Shirley Curran)
It’s true: snow is on the way! The forecast from MeteoSwiss for Sunday shows one big black cloud, with the snow line down to 1,000 metres for the first time in weeks, and falling to 800 or 600 by Monday as temperatures fall.
That said, the highs are expected to be 5-7C in western Switzerland, just a degree or two colder at altitude, but with luck the snow will last for the coming school holidays week.
Ski resorts report
Whitepod, above the Rhone Valley in the Swiss Alps
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Another weekend of blue skies and sunshine has arrived, with clement temperatures that are good for sunbathing, but less good for the thinning snow supply. Expect some haze and occasional light cloudiness, but mostly sunny with highs of 9-11C and lows of -3 to 0C, says MeteoSwiss.
Snow conditions in all major and many other resorts nevertheless remain good and lifts are open. Check the latest snow information for all resorts on MySwitzerland, the national tourism office’s site.
Days are getting longer and the sun at the top hotter, so it’s time to pull out the sunblock and suntan creams.
Caution: slopes remain icy
Do note that there were yet more fatalities this past week, linked to icy conditions and use great caution. A 12-year-old from Bienne died when she fell off a tow bar and slid 100 metres before hitting a pylon, in Evolene, canton Valais.
A woman was killed and one of her companions injured when they slipped under a barrier to ski on an icy slope in Champéry, canton Vaud.
Two big events in the area
Two events for winter sports fans should pull in the crowds this weekend. Leysin, only 45 minutes from Lausanne, is host to the popular Champs Open snowboard competition, open to all but also featuring some of the best half-pipers around. Friday noon: it’s not too late to sign up.
The other big event is the European Cup races in Geneva/Monts Jura, just outside Geneva. See Shirley Curran’s special report and note the special offer: a very friendly €1 for the day ski pass Friday and Saturday is available from Crozet and Lélex. We’ll be adding some gorgeous skiing photos from the event later today, Friday.
If you’re looking for something different to do in the mountains this week
Luxury accommodation in an igloo-like tent in the Alps
Consider these two options: head for what MySwitzerland calls “tiny winter resorts”, some of which are real gems. They make a happy change from the well-known big name places. List from the national tourism office
Another option is to get cozy in an igloo-like luxury “tent” on top of a mountain, overlooking the Rhone Valley. For CHF550 for two (extra beds CHF80) from Friday night to Sunday afternoon or CHF400 a night during the week you can stay in one of the Whitepod rooms in Cernier, below the Dents-du-Midi, not far from Monthey.
This is not camping as you’ve ever known it before but rather the height of luxury and the luxury of height all in one.
And if you long for the kind of skis the pros have
Keep an eye on the officials at the races in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany this weekend. They will be trying out new handmade skis made by Zai, a company based in Disentis, near Davos, headed by a former UBS currency senior strategist.
Whoosh!
Previous Friday Swiss weekend snow and winter sports reports
Cool! Also cozy: WhitePod hotel rooms
Les Diablerets, canton Vaud
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Blazing blue skies beckon, and they promise to hold for the weekend. Ski resorts are offering plenty of activities in the run-up to the school ski holidays that are staggered by canton in Switzerland, starting in two weeks.
A word of caution: accidents up
The number of accidents on slopes in France and Switzerland has been unusually high in the past two weeks, in part due to hard snow because of limited snowfalls and thaws followed by freezing.
Col des Mosses, canton Vaud
Some schools have cancelled ski days, not for lack of snow, but as a precaution because of the potential danger, especially for older students who ski on their own.
Use extra caution and be prepared for icy patches.
Avalanches: MySwitzerland’s avalanche warning page offers a useful map and at the moment the danger level is low to moderate throughout the country. If you’re going off-trail, the Swiss national avalanche centre offers more detail.
Weather forecast
Les Diablerets, canton Vaud
Fog on the plain and sunny and mild in the mountains for the weekend: lows of -1C starting Saturday, with highs of 10C, so if you’re planning to ski, get out early in the day before the snow turns soft.
MeteoSwiss, the national weather service, is forecasting falling temperatures, but still relatively mild with highs of 4C, starting next Tuesday 8 February.
Ski resorts: snow reports and what’s on
Jura report, by Shirley Curran
All week we have been skiing on the excellent pistes that have been maintained with artificial snow at Crozet and Lelex in the Jura mountains. There is good skiing right down to 900 metres over at Lelex. The surfaces are hard but the blue, green and red pistes are in fine condition and the sun shines all day up above the layer of stratus that shrouds Geneva.
You can see for yourself at www.monts-jura.com
Swiss Alps
Les Diablerets, canton Vaud
The new snow report won’t make skiers happy: less than 1cm of fresh snow in the past week, for the entire country. Ski conditions are nevertheless good, with enough snow to keep the runs covered and weather cold enough until now to keep it in decent shape.
Alternative weekend winter events
White Turf horse racing on ice
One of the most thrilling winter sports events in Switzerland is the White Turf races in St Moritz, so if you’re heading that way, don’t miss this, Sunday 6 February.
Horses thunder around the frozen lake in the centre of town in this annual race that has been taking place since 1907. For an idea of what to expect, check out last year’s beautiful photos.
Carnival!
The Carneval season has begun, but keep in mind that dates vary from canton to canton and from one town to the next. A good source for information and dates is the Swiss tourism office site, MySwitzerland.
This weekend there are celebrations in Estavayer-le-lac in canton Fribourg, Saturday and a marching band (fanfare) festival in Saas Grund in canton Valais to kick off Carnival, Friday night and Saturday: a good opportunity to discover the excellent skiing in and around Saas Fee.
Reminder to fans of our winter sports reports, that you can find the collection here or by searching, top right for ” weekend winter”
Weather and resort openings, snow sports competiton, Chateaux d’Oex Balloon Festival, cross country skiing
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The weekend is off to a gloriously sunny start, with colder temperatures that will keep the snow in good shape, but winds in some areas that are delaying the opening of ski lifts.
Weather forecast
Chateau d'Oex Hot Air Balloon Festival 2010, photo ©2010 Josh Fassbind
Highs will hover around 0C in western Switzerland with lows of -2, so there will be only small shifts in the temperature.
Occasional snowflakes, but not more, in sight until the middle of next week. The cold bise wind will continue blowing on the plains, including the Lake Geneva area, until Tuesday or Wednesday, so be sure to wrap up with scarves, caps and gloves when you head outdoors.
Canton Valais can expect steady sunshine for the next five days while Jura skies will be partly cloudy, alternating with sunshine and blue skies until early next week. Source: MeteoSwiss, national weather service
Ski resorts
Jura report from Shirley Curran
The news Friday morning is that the ski areas are not opening because of high winds. Keep checking Monts-Jura.com!
From Crozet/Lélex, late Thursday 20 January: Snow has been falling today and, even better, the lower temperatures have allowed our resorts to run the snow-making machinery so that there is a light cover of new snow on the runs that are open. Of course, after all that hot January weather, the number of runs is restricted but there is something open for every level of skier. The slopes were empty today even though we could ski on well-covered runs right down to 900m at Lélex.
Swiss Alps
Les Mosses, end of the afternoon 15 January: snow is packed, but the trails are covered
Snow is surprisingly good after the near-thaw of January as long as you go above 1,800 metres, but even cross country trails at 1,400, such as those at Les Mosses, have decent conditions.
Verbier – Reminder if you’re heading for Verbier to look for the latest news and entertainment ideas from the new radio station, Mountain Radio Verbier at 96.9 FM and online. The station was started in December by former WRS broadcaster Conor Lennon.
Chateaux d’Oex - the big Alpine event this weekend is the International Hot Air Balloon Festival in Chateaux d’Oex, near Gstaad. It’s one of Switzerland’s most colourful winter events and for those who fear their toes will freeze while they stand around watching balloons, there is plenty of hot mulled wine and entertainment, some of which is indoors.
The snow on nearby peaks is thin, but skiing and watching the balloons is possible.
Sun and some snow over Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva Region, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Four towns in the Lake Geneva region: Geneva, Nyon, Payerne and Pully-Lausanne registered today 8 January, some of the warmest temperatures on record for the month. Overall Geneva recorded the highest temperature in the region.
In the Changins-Nyon area temperatures rose to 15˚C breaking the previous record set on 10 January 2007.
In Geneva it was a rather balmy day with temperatures reaching 15.6˚C that is the third highest temperature for the month since 1901. The all-time high for Geneva was set in 1920 when the mercury topped out at 17.3˚C.
Payerne saw the second highest temperature on record since 1978 reaching 14.9˚C.
In Pully-Lausanne the temperature reached 14.2˚C, the third highest for that area; the second highest temperature for Pully-Lausanne was 14.9˚C registered in 2003.
The German-speaking area of Switzerland also benefited from mild weather with some regions well above 17 degrees:
- Zürich-Kloten 14.3°C
- Vaduz 17.5°C
- Basle 16.7°C
- Altdorf 16.5°C
However, in the usually warmer canton Ticino temperatures didn’t get past the 5˚C.
Say goodbye to the sun and the mild temperatures, MeteoSuisse forecasts rain and colder weather in the region on Sunday 9 January with some snow over the St. Bernard Pass and Samedan.
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captures a partial eclipse of the sun by the moon, 7 October 2010 (photo: Nasa)
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Reminder: a partial solar eclipse will occur Tuesday morning 4 January, reaching its peak at 09:09 in Geneva, minutes later the further east you are in the country. The weather forecast from the Swiss national weather service is for mostly sunny skies Tuesday, but with some fog on the plain that could affect viewing. The view should be better in the mountains, as long as the rising sun is not obscured by high peaks in your area.
Related story in swissinfo
Tips from Nasa in the US on photographing and filming a solar eclipse
Christmas holiday traffic is upon us! Weather forecast, resort updates, traffic planning alerts
Skier Lara Gut signs with new sports agency
Photos by Keepps on flickr, Nyon 17 December 2010 set
Nyon, early Friday morning 17 December (photo, Keepps on flickr)
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – School ends for the Christmas break in neighbouring France Friday 17 December and in some German states, while Vaud and Geneva finish at the end of the school day Thursday 23 December (complete list of Swiss school vacation dates) – note corrected dates. The mountains have snow; the snow cover is not deep, but more is promised. Expect traffic on the roads! The women’s World Cup ski season will see some chilly racing this weekend in neighbouring France’s Val d’Isère resort, with temperatures at -10C Friday morning and -14 at nearby Tignes. The snow is in good condition, with 103cm at the top and 40 at 1,850 metres.
Swiss skier Lara Gut announced Friday noon that she has signed a contract with a new Swiss agency, Pool Position, to help develop her reputation nationally and internationally. “This close collaboration, coordinated by my private team, will ensure how my reputation is built, both as an athlete and a private individual.”
Pool Position is a recently developped partnership, based in Zurich, between Ringier, Switzerland’s largest media company, and the German firm Kick-Media AG. The company advises clients in several fields: film, TV, theatre, fashion, music, sports and show business.
Gut was suspended for two races at the end of December for repeatedly ignoring warnings about wearing team clothing and for publicly criticizing the Swiss women’s team coach. She performed well during pre-race runs Thursday, coming in 8th overall and first for the Swiss. She is making her comeback this season after a hip injury followed by surgery last season. Val d’Isère is where Gut charmed the sports world in February, winning two World Cup silver medals at only age 17.
Weather forecast
Snow that began falling 16 December is expected to end by noon Friday in most areas, continuing a bit longer in the Jura and Swiss Alps. Saturday: changeable weather, but cold, ranging from -8C to a high of -1C on the plain and -16C to -7C in mountain resorts. Sunday: warmer, highs around 0C, with snow starting again, but the snowline gradually rising to 500-800 metres. GenevaLunch weather page
Winter resort news
Brought to you earlier than expected! Lifts opening, safety, weather, cars, new radio
La Loge, Jura, November 2010 (photo, Pauline, JC Cusin)
Geneva and Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Our first real winter sports bulletin at GenevaLunch was scheduled for Friday 3 December, but the skies opened, the snow fell, the lift operators cheered, and we’ve decided to offer this to you earlier than planned. Visit us regularly on Fridays from now until April for our weekly weather and news linked to the Alpine world and winter sports.
Ski resorts open
A good starting place for information about Swiss ski resorts, if you’re unfamiliar with them, is the Swiss Tourism Office web site, which has a wealth of information. Note that historically their information about snow conditions is not up to date for all resorts, but maybe 2010-11 will see a change.
Jura
A number of ski resorts have already opened but be sure to check before you head there. The Jura, which has had snow steadily for over a week, already has a good base.
La Loge, Jura, November 2010 (photo, Pauline, JC Cusin)
The Monts Jura area issued this notice before Tuesday night’s fresh 20-plus cm of fresh snow: “Because of the recent snowfalls, the Monts Jura website is announcing the early opening of some of its installations. This weekend, there will be installations operating with reduced personnel at the Col de la Faucille and Crozet/Lélex and pistes open at La Vattay. Depending on snow conditions, these are the ones that will be running:
La Faucille: Télécombi and the Myrtilles skilift
Lélex: Catheline télécabine, the Loges six-place high-speed chairlift (if there is adequate snow at the summit), the Monthoisey skilift, Crozet Fierney télécabine, Télécorde, the Bergers chairlift
Vattay: Verte de la Vattay, Bleue de la Puthod, Petite Grand and Grande Grand, Noire de Divonne and Verte du Plateau.
Valais, Vaud
Lake Geneva area and plains expected to get 10cm fresh snow Wednesday
Cosmos prediction, snow during 24 hours starting Wednesday 1 December, Switzerland
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The cold air dominating regional weather Tuesday 30 November is setting the stage for what is heavy snow by Lake Geneva region standards, with the forecast calling for 10-20 cm of fresh snow Wednesday.
Lausanne and Bernese Alps, seen from Lavigny, canton Vaud, 29 November 2010
MeteoSwiss‘s warning bulletin says snow will start Tuesday during the night and will fall throughout the day Wednesday.
Highs of -1C are expected in most of western Switzerland.
Click on images to view larger
Snowman Monday in Etoy, canton Vaud, Switzerland: he'll soon get a new white cape, warmer and thicker
Click on images to view larger
La Faucille, Jura (photo, ©2010: Shirley Curran)
Geneva / Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Snow began to make a serious appearance in the Swiss Alps and the Jura mountains over the weekend, leaving the first layers that are needed for a good skiing base. Jura skiers were already out Saturday and Sunday 20-21 November, at La Faucille. Cross-country skiers from the Lausanne area began training, while in Saas-Fee early season skiers have been having fun for a couple weeks.
GenevaLunch Friday 3 December begins its popular Friday winter weather and snow sports reports. Here’s a warm-up:
Geneva has a skiing first!
The Monts Jura will be hosting a women’s event, the FIS Coupe d’Europe de Ski Alpin Dames. This major event in the skiing calendar is coming to Geneva for the first time. The success of the Monts Jura resort in hosting the French championship competitions in 2009 and 2010 encouraged the European cup organizers to plan one stage of their competition there. The Swiss Ski Federation will be organizing Friday’s Super-Géant race and the French Ski Federation the Super-Combiné on Saturday in Crozet-Lélex, less than half an hour from the centre of Geneva.
Exceptionally, on Friday 11 February, skiers will be able to buy their day pass for 1€ at the Crozet lift. Pedestrians will be able to watch 140 world class skiers, travelling via Lélex on the Friday and the Saturday, also for 1€. Details on the Monts Jura web site.
Winter tires and chains reminder
Vercorin, canton Valais, Switzerland 21 November 2010, snowy peaks above village
Winter tires are not obligatory in Switzerland, but if you are in an accident and your summer tires or winter tires with worn treads are considered a factor, your insurance company and the judge might see fit to give you the bill.
France does not require them either, although some mountain districts do. Austria and Italy are the same. Winter tires are obligatory in Germany.
Make an appointment now, if you don’t yet have winter tires or want someone to change them for you, as garages get very busy with this work by the end of November.
