Reason to be excited!

Ever so true, Trencher. We call it a "Cold Hill". If the mountain is at -10 deg or better, prior to, or shortly after the early snowfall, it is most likely to create the best conditions for the mountain base.

Trencher wrote:Early snow fall is often a self fulfilling prophecy. Once there is some snow cover, a lot more heat is reflected back up. In our area, I prefer that the frost get deep into the ground before we get snow, as that bodes better for the snow lasting longer in the spring. Once there is snow, it acts as insulation, and the frost doesn't penetrate so deep.

MMMMmmm makes sense 8)

Its looking good in Obergurgl they are reporting 70cms up the mountain - temp -4/-5 and due to snow on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. :wink:

All positive signs of course, but I only start to take interest once the ground temps get really cold and remain cold once the snow starts to fall.

I don't have anything on authority, but I do hope we have good snowfall and another good season. I have some epic skiing last season, so if there is a God, lets all start praying to him.....

Dave, my old man was a priest before he died 11 years ago, and he never once had anything "on authority". Are you better connected by any chance, and of so can you ask him if he found the cat up there?

Dave Mac wrote:Ever so true, Trencher. We call it a "Cold Hill". If the mountain is at -10 deg or better, prior to, or shortly after the early snowfall, it is most likely to create the best conditions for the mountain base.

It's not really so much the hill, or mountains themselves, but the surrounding region as a whole.

You might typically have a north facing slope with a ground temp of -10 deg,and a south facing slope with GT way above zero. The OPs original picture shows the effect of this.

This is my reason to be excited

http://www.tignes.co.uk/webcam.htm

Here it comes !!

I shall be working here:

http://livecam.avoriaz.com/

and here:

http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Champery/webcams/latest

Snow forecast for Morzine over the next few days.