With apologies to Lawrence I just thought this may be of interest to
anyone who follows European weather...

I've just returned from a trip to Gressoney in the Aosta region of
Italy where up to 50cms of snow fell over a period of 58hrs. They say
you should never wish for snow to stop but it got really tiresome as I
spent a second day on the slopes hampered by poor visibility.
Interesting that falling snow that managed to find itself around the
edge of my hood had melted and frozen - sticking my hair together.
Weather this morning (Sunday) was glorious - a temperature of minus 5c
and brilliant sunshine at 1670metres. Typical that I had to head back
just as the weather cleared.
Pleasant drive down showed that the snow line had lowered to 800m -
albeit a very thin cover which was melting fast in the strong
sunshine.
One local said it had been their best snowfall this season -
interesting that it had come so late in the year. And even more in
stark contrast to my first day's skiing there on 6th - where I skiied
in temperatures of 12c at 1650m on slush that was fast disappearing in
the strong sun. A narrow track where I had carefully sidestepped down
rocks, slush and brown vegetation had been transformed into a wide,
untracked snowfield covered with 30cms of powder snow...

Cheers,

Scott