PowderAlert 3 2022/23 | Restart in January

This week, however, skiing outside of artificial snow should at least be possible again. Unfortunately, it's not the end of October, but already mid-January.

The cause is relatively clear. The weather conditions were warm and/or dry. Whether it's because you haven't been faithful to Ullr and have been secretly worshipping Mrs. Holle, or whether it's climate change, the Oracle doesn't know. What I do know is that we've now slipped into our second bad season in a row. BUT the last few years weren't that bad: 20/21 was extremely good, 19/20 was an exceptional winter in the south and OK in the north. 18/19 was good and so was 17/18, so there's no reason for defeatism yet.

This alert and this week will hopefully bring us back to normality, but more on that later.

Alert period and areas

The alert runs until Tuesday evening. The areas are in the north from the Arlberg to France and in the south from the Upper Engadine to Slovenia, with the cores going from the Lower Valais to France and in the south in the Italian-Slovenian border area.

Wind

It will be stormy, but not excessively so. So you'll be able to find some loose snow further up. It's snowing most in the accumulation and there's a bit of a drop towards the main ridge, but as the precipitation is mainly frontal (and not heavy accumulation), there should also be some within the Alps.

Snow line

Drops everywhere from 1400-1600m to around or below 1000m. So suitable for powder.

The amounts

From the Arlberg to the Lower Valais there will be a maximum of 30-50cm, also from the Upper Engadine/Adamello to the east. In the north east of the Arlberg there will only be cosmetic snow.

In the northern core there will be 40-70cm of snow, but there are hardly any surprises.

In the southern core in the Italian-Slovenian border area there should be 70-100cm, possibly more, BUT if the current turns a little more to the west instead of southwest, there will be significantly less. So high potential for disappointment.

Where should I go?

Well, you have to look at it like the end of October: You might be able to slide on soft alpine meadows in France or in the lower Valais on Tuesday morning, in the southeast that would also be possible, but with a high risk. Tuesday afternoon it will break up in the west and you can ski the fresh snow with a base above 2200m. You may still have a gap in the clouds in the morning on Wednesday before it closes up again and we may see a new alarm.

Medium-term

The models are still fluctuating quite strongly, but it may at least remain wet. Whether it will get warmer again (but still below 2000m snow) or even stay fine is still unclear. There could still be an alarm towards the weekend. But as the track of the lows is not yet completely clear until Wednesday Thursday, this is still a dream of the future par excellence. But at least it looks appropriate for the time of year again. However, from 1500m rather than 1000m, but that's the 2 degrees we have to expect in terms of climate change.

Powder to the people!

Your oracle

Snow depth prediction game

We're playing "all or nothing"-Roulette at Livinal Lunc in the Sella Nevea from 8.1. to 10.1. 22:00. Post your tip in the PowderGuide.com forum by Sunday, 8.1. at 23:00 -> Powderguide.com !