December hasn’t started yet, but winter weather is in full swing in the Alps. In many places there is a thick layer of snow in most valleys. Only in the Southern Alps there is still less snow, but there will also be a good snow dump later this week.This Tuesday, there will be another Nordstau snow for a while on the Austrian and Swiss north side. Large amounts of snow have fallen in these areas recently. At the same time, the weather is dry and sunny in the southern side and in the French Alps. Freezes a few degrees at almost all elevations.
Wednesday will be a beautiful day in almost the entire Alps. The sun is shining everywhere, and freshly fallen snow makes it fun on the ski slopes. Not all ski areas are open on Wednesday, but preparations can remain in full swing. At an altitude of 1,500 metres, it freezes from -4 degrees during the day in France to -7 degrees in Austria.
Temporarily higher snow line
Another rainfall system will approach the Alps on Thursday. Because the winds move temporarily to the southwest corner, they become milder, especially in Switzerland and France. Unfortunately, rain here falls at an altitude of up to 1,500 metres. The weather remains colder in Austria, but there will be almost no rain on Thursday. In the evening and night through Friday, heavy snow will fall in the west, with a snow line.
Snow dump in the southern Austrian side
The area of rain and snow will move eastward on Friday. On the northern side in Switzerland and Austria, the snow line gradually decreases in all valleys. It can snow heavily, especially in Austria. On the southern side, in the Dolomites and Carinthia, it snows. Especially in Carinthia, 40 to 70 cm of snow can easily fall locally.
Later this week it will snow heavily again, especially in Austria (Photo: Jeroen Elferink)
Snow will continue to fall all the way down to the valleys in Austria on Saturday, but the sun will shine in Switzerland and France. It will be a great start for most ski areas that are open on Saturday. The sun will also shine in Austria on Sunday and Kaiserwetter can be enjoyed everywhere.
Cold winter weather will remain in the Alps after the weekend. Some snow may fall again on the north side later in the week.
Winter weather also in the Ardennes and Sauerland
Closer to home, there is also plenty of winter weather in the Ardennes and Sauerland. A thick layer of snow fell in Winterberg last Monday. A thick layer of snow is likely to fall here Tuesday evening and into Wednesday night. In the Ardennes it remains drier but cool; Snow cannons can operate at full speed.
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