Active weather returns to the Alps once again beginning on Sunday. While some scattered showers are possible before then, let's focus on the next two storms on the horizon. Overall both of these storms will feature a westerly wind regime, with the storm track just to the north of the Alps. This often results from an area of low pressure position directly north of an area of high pressure. The location of the high pressure directs warm air into the Alps, and is why the Weststau storms typically aren't too cold.

Storm #1

Before the main event arrives Monday night, a smaller storm will impact the Alps Sunday through Monday morning. While this won't deliver big snow totals, it will be a cooler storm and lay down some fresh snow ahead of the next system. It's always a plus to have a refresh during a longer break between storms, so that the layer below the new snow from the big storm is less hard.

This storm will commence on Sunday afternoon in the French Alps, and quickly spread into the Swiss and Austrian Alps. This is a fast-moving storm with snow levels starting around 1200 m and falling to around 900 m by Monday morning. Snow will wrap up Monday morning in France, midday in Switzerland, and afternoon in Austria. 

Expect 8 - 16 cms across most of the northern Alps, with a bit more possible in the Haute-Savoie region in France. Check out the last snow forecast from the European model below.

Storm #2

There won't be much of a break before storm #2 arrives late Monday night/Tuesday morning. Westerly flow continues as another upper-level low approaches the western Alps. This is a stronger and longer-duration storm, as a few waves of low pressure progress through the region. As you can see below, the high pressure system south of the upper-level low will send warm air toward the Alps, causing snow levels to rise.

Through Wednesday, snow levels will sit between 1500 - 1800 m in the French and Swiss Alps, and 1200 - 1500 m in the Austrian Alps. A cold front will move through on Wednesday afternoon, but it won't drop temperatures too much and most of the precipitation will have already fallen. Given the length of the storm and persistent westerly flow, impressive totals will fall at mid and upper elevations of the French Alps, with solid amounts in Switzerland and Austria. Check out the latest snow forecast from the European model for storm #2.

Right now, the best days to ski and ride should be Wednesday and Thursday, though visibility will be limited so upper mountain terrain may be limited. Early thoughts on storm totals are below:

• Central/Northern French Alps: 40 - 80 + cms
• Western Swiss Alps: 30 - 60 cms
• Eastern Swiss/Western Austrian Alps: 20 - 40 cms
• Central/Eastern Austrian Alps: 10 - 20 cms

There is some disagreement on when this storm will end, but it will be sometime between Thursday morning and Friday morning. 

Whenever storm #2 does end, the models have another storm impacting the region after a quick break. This would start sometime between Thursday night and Friday night. Once again, the models show a storm with a more southerly track, but given the recent trend for this to show up and then disappear, I am not buying in at this point. Chances for snow will continue next weekend though. 

Thanks for reading the Europe Daily Snow!

Luke Stone
Forecaster, OpenSnow

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