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Gloomy weather = more snow : 25th January 2012

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Occasional glimpses of sunshine image credit: verbinet.com
Plenty of off piste to play in image credit: verbinet.com
Playing in the couloirs image credit: verbinet.com
Low tree covered slopes give good visibility image credit: verbinet.com
Gentianes - great powder and no bumps image credit: verbinet.com

A break in the weather is on the way

by Lee Fieldsend | | published: 25th Jan, 2012

Flat light and snowy conditions stayed in over the middle of the week. This did bring in around 15cm of fresh snow and coupled with the 20cm snow fall at the beginning of the week there is now a great off piste layer out there. Many parts of the mountain have stayed untracked due to the poor light and some lift closures earlier in the week and the forecast for Thursday is for a break in the weather, although conditions are so changeable at the moment it is difficult to forecast with any certainty.

Mont Fort just opened a couple of days ago after the storm last weekend came in with some strong winds. Mont Gele has yet to open for the same reason.

The risk of avalanche is still 3 out of 5 and that is expected to remain for the foreseeable future.

The recent snow has helped to keep the lower pistes, which have suffered from mild temperatures and occasional rain, in better condition than previous weeks. Throughout the rest of the area conditions are superb but a little bumpy with this recent snow.

The freezing level has stayed above the valley so skiing all the way down to Le Chable is not advised but higher up the mountain we are having one of those great seasons where it just keeps snowing. The result is that the powder just keeps getting topped up before it gets fully tracked out. This allows people to spread out and relax a bit more. Good powder is like a great feast – everyone gets full and there is still plenty to go around.

Over the next few days the forecast is really mixed and my advice would be to get up there and see. Temperatures will be very cold – on average -15 but winds will stay light. There could be sunshine, clouds and/or snow all at the same time!

Conditions at time of reporting: