Lars Oelmann

When snow forecast cards appear in the Facebook feed, then and only then is it officially winter. The Oracle, always waiting in the Ullr shrine, is of course also informed and is delighted that Ullr is sending out his first sign of life and returning to his kingdom. I would like to share this happy news with you.

There will be alerts everywhere, with the focus in the south. The core areas are from Ticino to the Adamello/Upper Engadine and in the border triangle of Italy/Austria/Slovenia, although the whole thing is only likely to cause real joy on the glaciers there.

After Lord Voldemort almost ate Bella Swan in the first part of the Alert and you're wondering after such a cliffhanger whether our god and hero Ullr can still turn things around for the best, here comes the long-awaited answer: there's more snow, but unfortunately only cooler temperatures when most of it is through. So far, about a meter has fallen in Ticino and there has also been a lot of fresh snow north of the Gotthard region. Below 2000m, however, this morning's glory has already been lost to the warmth and thus to the Glop™.

This alert will probably be published in two parts, but then I'm in the best Belltristik and Hollywood company, because like Twilight and Harry Potter, at the end of this winter there's a story by Ullr, our favorite author and Powder screenwriter, that can't be squeezed into a single film or alert. And as with those movies, we at PowderGuide hope you'll be eager to read the second installment and pour hundreds of millions of euros into our coffers!

Normally, snow from the north also means powder. Last week was different. This time, too, there's something wrong with Ullr's gifts: the coming fresh snow will probably not be usable below the tree line, as the snow line will also rise towards the end of the precipitation.

March is shaping up to be a veritable winter month and there's plenty more to come on top of the existing base as Ullr is working overtime on the atmospheric machine. The only fly in the ointment is the significantly higher snow line than recently.

Ullr, our dearest God, no longer seems to be working part-time in March. As soon as the snow in the south is through (with up to 120 cm according to the SLF, as stated in the alarm), it starts again in the north-west and there's a lot more to come.

Wow. It looks like Ullr is going to get its act together and let winter begin in early March. At least in the northwest (with over a meter from the last two alarms) and now also in the south - well, at least parts of the south. And as I've just come from climbing in Ticino, I can tell you: it's sorely needed there too.

As announced, the current has turned to the northwest and there's even some alarm-worthy snow. In the south, it didn't snow quite as much in the core zones in the west (or significantly less), while the east (Slovenia/Italy) was in the target range.

There's finally an alarm again. And even if it's hard to believe here in Ticino, it's winter. Something is happening that can once again be described as a onset of winter in this prolonged late fall. And it doesn't even seem to be a flash in the pan, but more on that at the end in the medium-term outlook.

Ullr finally thinks to himself again: "Oh, while I'm here, there'll be snow again". Thank goodness, you have to say, because there hasn't been much in France and western Switzerland so far. With the recent dump, you can probably go skiing there too. With the handbrake on. (Have there already been days without a handbrake this winter?)

It's a bit complicated with Ullr. First he sends more snow to the north than expected, but also a high snow line. Now he changes the setup without further ado and less snow is expected in the south, but more in the west. In addition, it may only be the first alert and a second one will follow on Saturday for Sunday Monday.