PowderAlert 18.2 2016/17 | More snow and unfortunately cooler temperatures later.

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More snow but unfortunately only further up again.

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™.

Areas and period:

This alert applies to the areas from the French Maritime Alps to Ticino with the core from the Simplon/Monte Rosa to the border area between France and Italy in the Turin Alps, as a south-easterly and later easterly accumulation is now setting in, pushing into these areas. The question is when it will turn, because even in northwestern Ticino there could still be quite a lot coming with a stronger southerly component.

The snow line:

Will remain quite high and only start to fall once the precipitation ends on Sunday. This means it won't get cold until the snow is more or less through. Until Saturday, the snow line will be between 1500m in the core in the narrow valleys and 2100m in the Maritime Alps and generally where it spills over the main ridge. It won't be powder until 2000-2400m.

Quantities:

From the French Maritime Alps to Ticino, 30-60cm with the higher values come towards the core. The question is whether western Ticino will still be touched by the core or not. I suspect not, but some models are more optimistic. So there may be more than 60cm there too.

In the core from the Simplon over the Monte Rosa massif, the Gran Paradiso to the border area between France and Italy, 60-100cm is quite certain and in the Turin Alps it could even go up to 150cm. The boundary will be very sharp, between the core and the edge and between a massive 100+X and "just 60" cm. The Simplon in particular is a shaky candidate.

Where to go:

I'd try my luck in one of the few areas that have trees up to 2200m, as below 1800m there's unlikely to be much joy during the snowfall, although it does snow deeper in places. On Saturday, it could start to snow in the areas that have already had a lot and are now getting a bonus (i.e. Ticino and Gotthard). Further southwest, it probably won't be anything before Monday.