Klimawandel

If you climb through the forest on a winter's morning with skins on your skis, you can feel it immediately: this special atmosphere, the muffled footsteps, the breath that dissolves into small clouds and evaporates between the branches. The mountain forest is more than just a backdrop, it is alive and part of the scenery. It frames our tracks, protects our lives and creates the conditions under which winter sports are possible in the first place. And despite these important functions, it is under pressure today like never before.

The title and PowderAlert say it all: it's raining cats and dogs on the southern side of the Alps and a lot of snow is falling at high altitudes. We briefly discuss what a heavy precipitation event is and look at the current event in detail. Finally, we briefly recap the winter and bring the WeatherBlog season to a conditional close.

The cool, sunny spring weather will increasingly turn into summer temperatures with the onset of the Föhn wind. A late onset of winter is not in sight, but at least some precipitation is possible in the south after the long sunny spell.

The period of southern storms is over and this week we are dealing with slightly early April weather. A mix of sun and clouds and a few showers here and there characterize the picture. Winter might make a comeback over the weekend!

The magic words "winter opening" and "start of the season" are enough to make winter sports fans' hearts beat faster. The marketing departments of the ski resorts are broadcasting dreamy winter landscapes and snowy backdrops on all channels. Everything is open again! Optimism is spreading: Winter is here! Skis and snowboards are taken out of the cellar and freshly waxed in anticipation. And then it's time to head up the mountain!

In recent years, films have emerged that go beyond the sport itself, encouraging us to reflect on our responsibility in the climate crisis. They urge us to take imperfect, yet necessary steps to create change. With impressive action and artistic vision, some of these projects show that change doesn't have to be perfect, but instead that every step matters.

Apart from a short, unspectacular break today (Wednesday), there will be plenty of sunshine and little chance of fresh snow for the time being. It will become increasingly milder at higher altitudes over the next few days, while the cold air will linger in the valleys.

All good things come from above, but our weather mostly comes from the west. Cyclones and troughs form in the Atlantic and then wrap around the Alps with fronts and cold air intrusions. Or warm air simply rushes in from the Azores High and puts the brakes on all skiing fun. The Atlantic is Europe's weather kitchen, it's still feverishly warm and there's a bit of everything this week.

Martin is a member of POW and from time to time publishes articles on PowderGuide that deal with sustainability issues. After dealing with the contradiction between structural problem solving and the individual responsibility of skiers last winter, he is now focussing on the concept of the economy for the common good. Can this vision of a sustainable economy change our approach to nature and mountain sports forever and, above all, how does it actually work?

The climate crisis concerns us all and is forcing us to scrutinise our actions. At the same time, winter sports are often criticised because of artificial snowmaking, energy consumption and the impact on the environment. So isn't it hypocritical to criticise ski resorts and at the same time enjoy skiing yourself? As passionate freeriders, we have to think about the decisions we make and how we can practise our hobby in the most reflective way possible so that we can continue to enjoy the incomparable days on the mountain with a clear conscience.

After the respectable onset of winter last week, things are now continuing rather cautiously. A cold front will reach the northern Alps on Thursday, bringing a few more centimetres of fresh snow. High pressure returns at the weekend. This WeatherBlog is a joint effort by Sebastian and Lea!

The Alpine Forum was divided into three thematic blocks, whereby we were primarily interested in thematic blocks one and two: "What has changed in the mountains?" & "Mountain professionals: consequences in everyday working life and training?". We also got hold of the analyse:berg issues and would like to give a brief overview of selected content here.