PowderAlert 12/2013 | Funky February II

After the unfortunately somewhat warm start, a whole series of small to medium dumps will now follow, which should also make the situation below the tree line considerably more powdery. With a W-NW-N flow that keeps renewing itself until Friday, Ullr is sending us one small low after the other. This second alert of Funky February is actually only valid until Tuesday, but as the break on Tuesday is quite short and merges seamlessly into the next, larger accumulation situation from Wednesday to Friday, I will also try to provide initial volume estimates until Saturday. The snow line will rise to 1000 m on Monday, in France / western Swiss Alps even just above that (1200-1300 m), but shouldn't get in the way of our fluffy funky February dreams for the rest of the week. What will be more of a problem is that the accumulation won't be very pronounced, as the high-altitude current will tend to blow past us over France and the Pyrenees. Nevertheless, nice amounts are forecast to fall, firstly with relatively little wind at altitude (= fluffy sluffy stuff) and also quite cold, so that there may not be that much moisture but still a lot of snow. But first to Monday, because unfortunately there is still a lot of wind, which brings the snow and the slightly milder temperatures. By Tuesday morning, 15-30 cm will have fallen from Chamonix to Tyrol. However, I'm not ruling out 40 cm or even a little more if there's a suitable accumulation. In the east, from Salzburgerland over the Dachstein to the Rax, which has not been so spoiled so far, it should be significantly more and 40-60 cm. But! The incoming flow is only half right, which is why we're warning of less. But if the NW remains in the current, I see a good chance that the east will actually receive more than the west this time. The south of France and the southern slopes of the Alps will of course get less. But I think that due to the still high current this time, the whole thing will push well into the main ridge, northern Grisons and Valais, so that these areas can expect the same amounts as the northern slopes of the Alps. Until Saturday, we'll be able to help ourselves to Ullr's powder buffet again and again, and as it will have a northerly flow, which will depend on the accumulation and not on large model calculations, I can see the possibility of double that instead of the 30-50 cm from Wednesday to Friday. But that's not a forecast, just a hope to be smarter than the computer for once... Next update for Funky February and Ullr's foolish goings-on on Tuesday. So head to corners with visibility, hope for sunny surprises on Tuesday (like today!) and enjoy the dry cold powder. Powder to the people!Your Oracle