Lea Hartl

We continue with the International Snow Science Workshop 2016 and the studies presented there: Having already dealt with some topics in Part 1 that have more to do with the nature of snow and avalanches, we now turn our attention to people and how they deal with avalanches. Avalanche reports and the authorities that issue them are extremely important for us as winter sports enthusiasts, but their job is not always easy. On the one hand, of course, because the snow doesn't always do what you might expect, and on the other because very complex issues have to be communicated as simply and intuitively as possible. What are the current issues here and how do you approach them?

The long awaited and since at least last week hyped northern storm has arrived. My colleague Orakel has already summarized the practical information (short version: in the east - Salzburg/STMK area - it looks best in terms of amounts and base, it will be very windy), so we are less concerned with the result of the current weather situation and more with its general structure.

Why does only the East get something from the PowderAlert? What happens afterwards? What about the possible weather change at the turn of the year?

Several people have asked the WeatherBlog in the last few days: Does dirty air make more snow? (The reason for this was this ORF article.) The question of course includes a second, unspoken, not entirely serious question: Should I perhaps leave the car engine running overnight every now and then? We could also remove the air filters from the industrial plants, or burn the pile of leaves in the garden all at once, and maybe throw a few car tires on the fire! What about the weather?

The International Snow Science Workshop (ISSW) takes place every two years, alternating between the USA, Canada and Europe. The last ISSW was held in Breckenridge, Colorado, in October 2016. The ISSW is the largest scientific conference on snow and avalanches and offers snow researchers from various disciplines the opportunity to get together. Over the next few weeks, we will be taking a closer look at the findings presented there. We start with some news on the topics of model chains, fracture mechanics and avalanche detection.

When will the big change in the weather come? Well, no idea. That's actually the end of the weather topic for this week. For the time being, there won't be much change to the boring high pressure swamp that has been with us for more than long enough. The WeatherBlog is therefore devoting itself to a (subjectively) more interesting topic: two huge ice avalanches that occurred in Tibet this summer.

There has been virtually nothing new since last week, at least as far as the weather is concerned. One cloudless day follows the next. Temperatures have risen a little at higher altitudes, but in many valleys it's still very chilly under the tough inversion. There is no change in sight for the time being.

Salomon TV (formerly Freeski TV) heads to Greenland in the latest edition. In addition to the film crew and the team riders, glaciologist Alun Hubbard is also on board. The pros have a guilty conscience because they pollute the environment with their many flights to exotic destinations and hope that their conscience can be soothed by helping a scientist with his work. Meaningful research? Or is it more of a show? And what was the snow like? We asked Professor Hubbard and Salomon Pro Chris Rubens a few questions about the movie.

The telemark trend that seemed to be on the rise a few years ago may be over, but the scene lives on. You could even say that there is more going on in the area of material development for the free heel group than for the chronically uninnovative alpine bindings. The New Telemark Norm is already several years old and the latest news is more about tech-tele hybrid bindings, which are gradually making it from garage tinkering to market maturity. We took a look at the Meidjo from The M Equipment at the Telemark Opening in Hintertux.

Unlike the films from MSP, TGR and co. discussed here so far, the production company Troublehaus is not backed by a huge media company, but by Swiss multi-talent Marco 'Tribi' Tribelhorn, who produced the film at home with a few buddies. Riding Rhythms has no budget to speak of and no famous professional riders, but is far ahead in terms of likeability and the action (including that of PowderGuide event editor Tobi!) is also quite impressive. We attended the film screening in Innsbruck.

A generally mild fall comes to a sunny but cold end. While the south-western Alps have received a decent base over the last week, the Föhn winds in the north have taken away most of the snow again. At least it is now cold enough again to run up all the available snow cannons and get the slopes in shape for the Christmas rush. In light of the current situation: What is artificial snow?

The Alps are on the edge of a Western European trough in a strong southerly current. While it snows on the southern slopes of the Alps, at least at high altitudes, the Föhn dominates in the north. How does the Föhn work again? And what's next for the weather?