Engelberg Skiing
Photo: Magnus Sandström and @ameloyden
Yes, we had a good week. Thursday and Friday were spent in 50cm of powder puff and that was EPIC. The stormwinds that came in on Sunday made the stormskiing a bit tricky and the avalanche alert level was on a 5. The lifts were closed and the bombing of avalanaches started already around 3 in the morning from monday to Tuesday, We all spent the Monday at home drinking coffee. (Better safe than sorry)
We are waiting for a refill today and Tomorrow, it was supposed to be around 10cm per day but is now lower on the forecast. Hold your thumb for it to rise again!
Hard Facts:
Snow depth Mountain (slope, 3.020m): 500 cm (up 100cm in 10 days)
Snow depth Village Location (1.050m): 55 cm
Snow condition: Powder, partially wind affected
Latest snowfall: 14.01.19
Avalanche alert level: 4, HIGH!
Fresh snow
Danger description
Even single winter sport participants can release avalanches. These can in particular be triggered in near-surface layers and reach dangerously large size. The avalanche prone locations are barely recognisable, even to the trained eye.
Fresh wind slabs are to be found especially at elevated altitudes. They are mostly small but in some cases prone to triggering.
Backcountry touring and other off-piste activities call for experience in the assessment of avalanche danger. Defensive route selection is recommended.
Gliding avalanches
In particular, on very steep sunny slopes large gliding avalanches are to be expected below approximately 2400 m. Exposed transportation routes can be endangered. Areas with glide cracks are to be avoided as far as possible.
Weather forecast through Thursday, 17.01.2019
In the Jura and the southern regions, nocturnal skies will frequently be overcast, in the other regions skies will be clear. During the morning in northern and eastern regions, skies will initially be bright as a result of foehn influence, in the furthermost eastern regions it will even be quite sunny. During the course of the day, clouds will move in from the west and light snowfall will set in. In the southern regions, skies will be overcast and local showers are anticipated. The snowfall level will descend from 1000 m down to approximately 700 m.
Fresh snow
Above approximately 1200 m, the following amounts of fresh snow are expected:
- remaining sectors of the northern flank of the Alps, Sotto Ceneri: maximum 5 cm.
Temperature
The midday temperature at 2000 m will descend to -5 °C in western and southern regions, and to -2 °C in eastern regions.
Wind
- Winds will be blowing at moderate strength, at a strong velocity in the Jura, in western and in high alpine regions, from the southwest.
- south of the Main Alpine Ridge, winds will be predominantly light from the south.
Outlook through Saturday, 19.01.2019
On Thursday night in northern regions, about 10 cm of fresh snow is expected above approximately 1000 m. During the course of the day it will become predominantly sunny from the west. On Saturday, skies will turn heavily overcast to an increasing degree from the southwest. In the southern regions a small amount of snowfall is possible; in the northern regions, it will remain dry. The avalanche danger is not expected to change significantly on Friday, and stems largely from the snowdrift accumulations and gliding snow masses. On Saturday, the avalanche danger levels will decrease somewhat.
Weather and conditions:
- http://www.bergfex.com/engelberg/schneebericht/
- https://www.meteoblue.com/de/wetter/vorhersage/woche/engelberg_schweiz_2660902
- http://www.slf.ch/schneeinfo/index_EN
- https://www.slf.ch/en/avalanche-bulletin-and-snow-situation.html#avalanchedanger
- http://www.titlis.ch/de/titlis-gebiet/wetter
// Ski Lodge Team
