Austrian weather and snow conditions

It rained in St Anton a couple of times last week, warm temperatures are killing the slopes. Fresh snow just before we arrived and a bit more Thursday night gave us decent piste conditions but it was more like April than Jan. they need a meter of snow and a drop in temperature to put things right.

I am really keen to ski in Austria and we are still considering Lech or Ischgl for early March.

However, the current weather conditions do support the argument about going high for certainty of conditions. This is particularly important when the family ski holiday has to take place at Christmas or Feb half term and you need to book ahead. That is one of the reasons we go back to Val d'Isere every year. A lot of the skiing is between 2,200m and 3,000m and the town is great as well. Current conditions look great according to the webcams and the freezing level is at or below the town at 1.850m.

We'll be booking Christmas 2014 very soon.

For our March 14 trip, it will just be me and other half and we can stay flexible. If the conditions in Austria are good then we will go there. If not, we'll go high. Simples.

Stay High, safe and simple - especially in March. Unless St A has shed loads of the stuff. Avoid Bad Gastein ;)

Have to say March is mid season and should be fine all over. Late April and May are when you really need to be selecting your resorts.

Ranchero_1979 wrote:Have to say March is mid season and should be fine all over. Late April and May are when you really need to be selecting your resorts.

Hmmmm, beg to differ. Low down resorts struggle at that time of year - experience in PDS tells me that. Which ones are you thinking are "safe" :roll: 8)

Anywhere, the Alps has more than Jan and Feb of snow almost regardless of altitude. Fine you might not be in waist deep powder but the lower resorts also need much less snow than high ones as always meadow below vs rocks. I would avoid low in December as need to freeze the ground before you get base building, however once is there should be safe into April. I doubt PDS has ever closed before April even on the really bad years, this years closing date is 21st April to put that in context.

Ranchero_1979 wrote:I doubt PDS has ever closed before April even on the really bad years, this years closing date is 21st April to put that in context.

I have been to PDS at all times of the season. As I am sure you are aware, advertised closing dates and actual closing (and opening to that matter) are 2 totally different things. Snapzzz is currently in Avoriaz and is saying that the lower slopes there are struggling. The pleney in Morzine has hardly any snow on it - it is like a meadow!

Meadow or rocky - I would still prefer the snow.

I think your assumptions are a bit broad brush.

For March April - book late or stay high.

Well you can always bin down the lower slopes, that is sometimes life. Normally anyway they are rubbish as overcrowded with everything from beginners to skiers who forgot how to turn and are bombing it. If your ski holiday is ruined by a lift ride down then better do a indoor sport, where mother nature isn't involved. Same for people who are desperate to try and ski 8hrs a day in late season, 99% of these would never dream of doing 8hrs exercise a week let alone a day. Get up, enjoy the snow and get off the mountain once you've had the best of it.