Weather Conditions

Hi first post to the forum so apologies if I'm in the wrong area.

I'm a regular intermediate skier and head to St Anton this Thursday. Current forecasts are showing that on Friday the weather could be minus 29 with wind chill (minus 18 without).

I'm a qualified mountain leader but I'm the first to admit that I have never witnessed anywhere close to this temperature so have a few questions:

Is this temp actually likely to occur in St Anton (I haven't skied this time of year in Austria before)?

How many layers should i look at wearing? I'm thinking warmest Skin (or equivalent) possible, 2nd 'warm' layer, fleece and ski jacket with thermals and salopettes? I'm guessing I'll need a face mask and maybe extra to keep me warm? I already wear a helmet.

Is the temperature that severe they will just close the lifts?

Snow-Forecast is calling for below -20 and temperatures like that are a very possible outcome.

I would be too warm with what you are wearing at -20 so you will probably be fine, take an extra layer just in case, I'd rather be too 'hot' than too cold in those kinds of conditions.

My head never gets too cold with a helmet on, a face mask is a good idea, we were always warned off the neoprene ones, something to do with freezing moisture and frost bite. Keeping bare skin covered is the best plan.

Eventually the temperature can get to the point where lifts close/run at limited speeds/only certain areas open but I have no specific Austria related experience of this, just in Canada.

Edit: In Banff this morning it was -27, brrr

Thanks thats great.

Does anyone have any recommendations for face masks that are not going to retain moisture (from breathe) and thus Freeze! Which would be a lot worse solution than not wearing one :).

Buffs are good.

Make sure you are all keeping an eye out for each other, have a check for white skin on your faces when riding on lifts and stop to thaw if gets really cold!

adamhildreth, welcome to J2ski :D I'm heading out to Switzerland this week, and I'm expecting very cold weather, around -20c. Everything said ^^ is spot on. I'll be wearing a Buff, and probably a balaclava under my helmet :D I've also got some of those little Mycoal tea-bag type hand warmers for my gloves, just in case. I shall mostly be wearing all my thermals I reckon :lol:

Have a great time, but take more coffee stops if it's cold ) 1st stage frostbite is not nice to have (been there got the t-shirt)

The weather forecasts seem to indicate intense cold pretty well everywhere in Europe.

Cold Pah! This is the coldest place in Suisse where like to spend a few days
not where you would think.
Goff

Thanks everyone.

Anyone have any experience with lifts closing in the alps due to extreme temperature rather than high winds?

adamhildreth wrote:Thanks everyone.

Anyone have any experience with lifts closing in the alps due to extreme temperature rather than high winds?

Not in Switzerland anyway. I was up on Plein Morte in Crans Montana, some years back and the still air temp was -30c. The lift co. simply put up a sign warning about the cold ......in English )

Oddly we only heard English spoken in the gondola on the way up, and at the top :lol: