February 12, 2020 skiresort

Boí Taüll: a snow-sure ski destination for families

Vall de Boi is in the centre of the Pyrenees. It is a narrow valley on the edge of Aigüestortes National Park, an area of soaring peaks. The ski station Boí Taüll is the highest ski resort in the Catalan Pyrenees, with an elevation ranging from 2020 meters to a whopping 2751 meters. This situation guarantees snow throughout the season and not have to be as aware of atmospheric whims. Add to this its north-facing slopes and the low humidity of the area. The result is a good snow that usually characterizes the entire winter season. The average snow depth range from 130cm to 160cm in February. The Boí Taüll…

February 12, 2020 skiweather snowreport

Roller coaster weather prevails in the Alps

The northern Alps are in the midst of a wild week of weather. Monday, wind gusts reaching well in excess of 100mph across exposed parts of the Alps. The day started very mild, with rain to 2300m in the north-western Alps before colder air brought the snowline down to around 1300m at night. Tuesday, the wind remained strong, and there was widespread snow fall. Heavy in places like Tignes and Val Thorens. Wednesday will see some residual showers or flurries across the eastern Austrian Alps, otherwise most other regions will be drier with some sunshine here and there. Thursday will then see the next storm approach the Alps from the north-west,…

February 3, 2020 skiweather snowreport

Ski conditions in the French Alps deteriorated by prolonged and intense rainfall

This weekend the north-western Alps had to endure massive amounts of rain and unusually mild temperatures. The weather was generated by a warm front which dragged tropical air right across western Europe.  In some areas the rain/snow limit ascended above 2700m. Areas in the north-west where the heaviest precipitation was to be found were the French Alps; roughly north of Grenoble, the northern and western Swiss Alps. As a result of the downpours and the unusual temperatures the snow conditions have deteriorated fast. Even high-altitude ski resorts like Les Deux Alpes and Val Thorens were badly hit. At the same time, dry Foehn winds have resulted in extremely high early…

January 26, 2020 skiweather snowreport

Heavy snow fall in the western Alps

It has now been some time since there has been any significant widespread snow fall in the Alps, but that is about to change. The high pressure areas which dominated the Alps this week are starting to show signs of weakness and they will give way to a western current with depressions next week. Colder air reaches the western Alpine region on Monday night. The influx of cold air is accompanied by heavy snow in the French Alps. It will give snow in the mountains above 1300m, then 1000m at the end of the night. This first disturbance will give 15 to 20 cm of snow at 1500m in the…