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Alpine forecast and update: 23 February

23rd February 2010, by Fraser Wilkin

Cloud and precipitation forecast for midday on Thursday 25 February. Reproduced with permission from Meteoblue (see below)

Forecast update: 23 February

With a south-westerly airflow established across the Alps, the rest of this week will feel relatively mild. It will, however, remain unsettled with rain or snow at times, especially in the west. More general snow is likely at altitude on Friday.

Wednesday will see any early showers in the eastern Alps die away. Many places will then be dry for a while before further fronts spread snow (1000-1400m) to north-western parts during the afternoon, and the rest of the northern Alps during the evening and overnight. The southern Alps will stay mostly dry. Thursday will remain rather changeable with further bands of mostly light rain or snow (1200m) moving in from the west, again heaviest across the northern half of the Alps. Some places will, however, stay dry. On Friday, a more potent storm will bring heavier precipitation across a wider area of the Alps with some significant snow above 1500m.

Main Alpine forecast

Sum-up

Snow for most

General situation

The severe cold is now behind us, but it remains very unsettled with snow at times. The main band of precipitation will swing up from the Mediterranean today (Friday), with heavy snow in the southern alps, moving north later. On Saturday, the heaviest snow will be across the eastern Alps, and the weather will remain very changeable well into next week.

Forecast

Austria

Friday will see a north-south split across the Austrian Alps. Southern areas, especially Carinthia, will see snow (800m), heavy at times, but it will be mostly dry further north despite there being plenty of cloud. Overnight snow (600m) will reach all parts and continue for much of Saturday. Sunday will be drier with sunny spells.

Italy

Lots of snow is expected across all Italian resorts today ( Friday ). This snow will die out across western parts tonight but will continue further east, especially in the Dolomites. Saturday will be mostly dry with sunny spells developing across the western Italian Alps, but it will remain cloudy in the east with further snow. Generally speaking, the rain/snow limit will be between 800-1200m. On Sunday, it will be drier and brighter for all regions.

France

It is snowing across the southern French Alps this morning ( Friday ) and this snow will extend to most other areas as the day progresses. The rain/snow limit will be around 800m at first (higher in the far south) but this will lower everywhere later. The main band of snow will die out tonight but a few light flurries are still possible across the northern Alps tomorrow, Saturday. Sunday will be drier and milder with sunny spells but cloud will thicken from the west during the afternoon.

Switzerland

There is snow across southern Switzerland today ( Friday ) which will spread to all areas later. The rain/snow limit will start at around 1000m (higher in the south) but will descend everywhere as the day goes on. Saturday will remain cloudy across the northern Alps with a few snow showers, heavy in the north-east. Southern Alpine areas will be drier with sunny spells. On Sunday, it will be drier and brighter everywhere though cloud may thicken in the far west later.

Outlook

It will remain unsettled next week with further snow at times.

Next update on Monday 22 February

Forecasts in association with ski travel agency Ski Solutions

Main picture: shows the forecast precipitation for Thursday 25 February 2010 at approx midday.

copyright Meteoblue

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