Lea Hartl

The snowfall of the past few days has created a tense avalanche situation. At the end of the week, a warm front will bring very mild temperatures and rain up to high altitudes. At the weekend, the signs in the Eastern Alps are pointing to a northern thaw.

Low pressure system Olivia brings the post-Valentine's Day powder announced by our colleague Oracle and finally puts an end to the eastern frost. After an impressive cold spell, the Atlantic slowly regains its importance.

The most interesting weather phenomenon in the Alps at the moment is the temperature. Cold feet and light frostbite among skiers are becoming luxury problems in the wake of the current cold spell.

Catherine has a stuffed wolf in her living room. Alfred had to shoot him because he was sneaking around the house too often and had probably realized that rabbits make better hooks than dustbins. Catherine would like a dog, preferably a puppy. Alfred doesn't want a dog because sooner or later the wolves would eat him. The compromise is a self-confident rabbit that is not allowed outside and gets on very well with the stuffed wolf.

Three major precipitation events characterized January in the Northern Alps: Andrea at the beginning of the month was followed by Fabienne around 20 January and finally Gisela a few days later. Up to three times as much precipitation fell as usual in January. With cold high Cooper, a rather dry, very frosty phase is now imminent.

A while ago, the possibility of a changeover from westerly weather to easterly cold was discussed here. As we all know, this didn't happen after all and the Atlantic has thrown one meter after another onto the north-west's measuring gauges. Now the cold from the east is making another attempt.

Last week's suspected change in the general weather situation is a thing of the past, the western slide is doing well and Fabienne is on the way. After a few fantastic winter days with freezing cold postcard weather, the next batch of powder is just in time for the weekend.

While the north-western Alps are drowning in snow, there is no sign of winter in the lowlands. January temperatures are often around 5 degrees above the long-term average and it has only seriously snowed above around 600 meters so far. There doesn't seem to be an end in sight to the wet and mild westerly slide - or is there?

Winds of hurricane force are when speeds of 64 knots are reached. That is just under 120 km/h or level 12 on the Beaufort scale. Wind forces in Beaufort are specified using phenomenological criteria. Level 11 (hurricane-like storm) prevails, for example, when there is severe damage to forests and houses and you can hardly walk. Level 12 (hurricane) is then a little more severe.

In 2011, we want to take a leaf out of the book of the ubiquitous annual reviews. As a skier, you usually think more in terms of winters and less in terms of calendar years, but if you sprinkle a few key statistical data points into the weather talk with strangers on the lift, you come across as incredibly well-educated, which rarely hurts.

As my colleague Powder Orakel delivers new updates practically every day in the wonderfully productive pre-Christmas period, I would like to take this opportunity to look at the somewhat more timeless nature of snow.

The precipitation maps are becoming increasingly colorful and our colleague the oracle is living up to his name with meaningful hints. Word has got around that something interesting is about to be fabricated in the weather kitchen. So why all the excitement?