PowderAlert 5 2023/24 | Christmas dump, Christmas dump!

MeteoSwiss is issuing a red warning and the wind speeds look really gloomy. All the ingredients to get stuck in a snowdrift in the higher valleys.

We at the Church of ULLR are campaigning on behalf of everyone for Christmas to be variably scheduled between the middle and end of December so that tragic fates such as that of the oracle can be avoided.

Austria is also likely to be hit hard, as this time there's a bit more north than west in it, so it's building up from the north-west.

Alert period and areas

The entire northern Alpine arc from France to the Rax and above all to the main ridge AND BACK BEYOND. The core stretches from the Bernese Oberland to the east of Austria, but more on the main ridge than in the Stau and the foothills of the Alps, because the storms are so crazy.

The alert goes off until late Saturday evening, then it's over.

Wind

It's going to be really NASTY. Gales from 2000 metres upwards and the question is how many of the ski resorts will even open. It's pushing everything up to and beyond the main ridge. I dare say that it will snow more just south of the main ridge than in the northern foothills of the Alps.

So no POW from the tree line onwards, just all variations of drift snow and Zastrugi and really dangerous anyway.

Snow line

1200-1600m in western Switzerland and France, 1100-1400m on the Arlberg in eastern Switzerland and 800-1200m in eastern Austria. Inner Alps also 200-300m lower or even completely down in heavy traffic jams.

So full volumes around 1300-1700m from east to west.

The quantities

Somewhere protected just below the tree line, 60-80cm come from France into the Valais and in congested areas also the possibility of 1 metre, especially towards the Bernese Oberland/Goms.

From the Bernese Oberland to the east of Austria there are 80-100cm and in west-protected reservoir locations, such as Prättigau/Arlberg or somewhere in the Salzburger Land 100-130cm and I can well imagine 150cm somewhere if everything fits together.

Above the tree line there is 5-300cm of somehow wind drift snow. 😉

Where should I go?

You don't need to take a holiday on Thursday, it doesn't really start until around midday. Friday and Saturday something storm-proof with trees AND access to just below the snow line in the inner Alps, e.g. Graubünden or inner Valais in Switzerland or the Tauern ridge in Austria. Everything else, especially in higher open valleys, will be more of an adventure than you'd like, if the ski resorts open at all and the roads are passable. Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings are particularly interesting.

It's not yet clear whether it will be completely sunny at Christmas and over the holidays or whether there will be a few clouds around, but it will definitely get warmer and the wind will die down so that you can even see above the tree line.

Medium term

It looks rather calm and relatively warm until just before the turn of the year, but there is probably no rain up to 3000m or so, so for the first time in many years you can draw on the full potential during the holidays. The base is bigger after this dump than in a proper March. And on the north side it stays powdery for a long time without rain.

Prediction game #5: Core zone station "Seegrube LWD (1921m)"

The snow depth tip game no. 5 takes place at the station "Seegrube LWD (1921m)" from Wednesday, 20th Dec 19:30 to 23rd Dec 10:00. The initial snow depth at the station "Seegrube LWD (1921m)" is 168cm (20 Dec 19:30). Given the weather situation, there will either be as much fresh snow on the Seegrube as the Bamboo skis from Valhalla are long, or surprisingly little due to the wind.

Write your fresh snow tip by Thursday, 21 December at 21:00 as a comment below! Reminder: Tip game rules, Tipping game reminder by email. By the way, the 1st prize for the prediction game has now been decided, namely the PowderGuide branded Bamboo 104 from Valhalla - check it out and type diligently and correctly!

Powder to the people and Merry Christmas!

Your oracle