While the adrenaline is running high here with an almost hysterical
anticipation of impending cold weather[ this will increase in the coming
years as forecasts extend ever outwards thus building up more time to
speculate and contemplate] I have been monitoring so far this winter an area
in Austria which is famous for its low temperatures, some 65 miles south
west of Vienna.
Imagine all the rain in December and January in Britain falling as snow.
Well this is what has happened in this area of Austria where the snow depth
is approaching 2 metres or 6 feet, enough to satisfy all but the most ardent
of snow fans on this new group. The sun there has just risen above the hills
into a clear blue sky with a temperature of minus 13C. Last year also they
had a great deal of snow even though the height is a rather modest 1500
metres. I am thinking of organizing a trip there for Weather eye readers but
I expect some from this news group would find it a very enjoyable place too.

Ian Currie -- Coulsdon -130 metres
www.Frostedearth.com

Ian Currie wrote:
While the adrenaline is running high here with an almost hysterical
anticipation of impending cold weather[ this will increase in the
coming years as forecasts extend ever outwards thus building up more
time to speculate and contemplate] I have been monitoring so far this
winter an area in Austria which is famous for its low temperatures,
some 65 miles south west of Vienna.
Imagine all the rain in December and January in Britain falling as
snow. Well this is what has happened in this area of Austria where
the snow depth is approaching 2 metres or 6 feet, enough to satisfy
all but the most ardent of snow fans on this new group. The sun there
has just risen above the hills into a clear blue sky with a
temperature of minus 13C. Last year also they had a great deal of
snow even though the height is a rather modest 1500 metres. I am
thinking of organizing a trip there for Weather eye readers but I
expect some from this news group would find it a very enjoyable place
too.

Ian Currie -- Coulsdon -130 metres
www.Frostedearth.com

I've been watching snow reports for Austria for a couple of months or so, as I am visiting there in 2 weeks - it's been interesting to see that it has snowed heavily, in some places, at least every other day for the past 2 weeks.

All I'm worried about is the Avalanche danger!


--
cupra (remove nospam please to mail)

The likelihood is for a good deal more snow up to the end of next week with
low-pressure nearby and a cold arctic airstream reacting with warmer air
advected up from the Mediterranean. Could be as much as another metre at
least. When I was there in the beautifully benign August last year[ it was
not so hot in the hills] the avalanche shelters looked very incongruous but
will be vital over the next week or so.

Ian Currie -Coulsdon
www.frostedearth.com




" Imagine all the rain in December and January in Britain falling as
snow. Well this is what has happened in this area of Austria where
the snow depth is approaching 2 metres or 6 feet, enough to satisfy
all but the most ardent of snow fans on this new group. The sun there
has just risen above the hills into a clear blue sky with a
temperature of minus 13C. Last year also they had a great deal of
snow even though the height is a rather modest 1500 metres. I am
thinking of organizing a trip there for Weather eye readers but I
expect some from this news group would find it a very enjoyable place
too.

Ian Currie -- Coulsdon -130 metres
www.Frostedearth.com

I've been watching snow reports for Austria for a couple of months or so, as
I am visiting there in 2 weeks - it's been interesting to see that it has
snowed heavily, in some places, at least every other day for the past 2
weeks.

All I'm worried about is the Avalanche danger!


--
cupra (remove nospam please to mail)

Ian Currie wrote:

" Imagine all the rain in December and January in Britain falling as
snow. Well this is what has happened in this area of Austria where
the snow depth is approaching 2 metres or 6 feet, enough to satisfy
all but the most ardent of snow fans on this new group. The sun there
has just risen above the hills into a clear blue sky with a
temperature of minus 13C. Last year also they had a great deal of
snow even though the height is a rather modest 1500 metres. I am
thinking of organizing a trip there for Weather eye readers but I
expect some from this news group would find it a very enjoyable place
too.

Ian Currie -- Coulsdon -130 metres
www.Frostedearth.com

I've been watching snow reports for Austria for a couple of months or
so, as I am visiting there in 2 weeks - it's been interesting to see
that it has snowed heavily, in some places, at least every other day
for the past 2 weeks.

All I'm worried about is the Avalanche danger!

The likelihood is for a good deal more snow up to the end of next
week with low-pressure nearby and a cold arctic airstream reacting
with warmer air advected up from the Mediterranean. Could be as much
as another metre at least. When I was there in the beautifully benign
August last year[ it was not so hot in the hills] the avalanche
shelters looked very incongruous but will be vital over the next week
or so.

Ian Currie -Coulsdon
www.frostedearth.com


Hopefully things will stabilise by the time I get there - don't want to miss all the powder. Last time I was in the Arlbeg region I was fortunate enough to witness 3 separate slides (all on unskiable mountains) from 2-3 miles away - the power and ferocity was certainly sobering even from that distance.

--
cupra (remove nospam please to mail)

In article ,
Ian Currie writes:
While the adrenaline is running high here with an almost hysterical
anticipation of impending cold weather[ this will increase in the coming
years as forecasts extend ever outwards thus building up more time to
speculate and contemplate] I have been monitoring so far this winter an area
in Austria which is famous for its low temperatures, some 65 miles south
west of Vienna.
Imagine all the rain in December and January in Britain falling as snow.
Well this is what has happened in this area of Austria where the snow depth
is approaching 2 metres or 6 feet, enough to satisfy all but the most ardent
of snow fans on this new group.
snip

Since this is essentially a frost hollow, wouldn't a substantial
proportion of the precipitation be freezing rain rather than snow, where
there were above freezing temperatures above the pool of freezing air
close to the surface?
--
John Hall

"Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong."
Oscar Wilde

John,
The area is between 700 metres to 1900 metres and most of the precipitation
in winter is snow. The hollow itself is much colder probably down to below
minus 25C. The hollow has a base at 1300 metres so it is covered in snow for
most or all of the winter in average years. Surrounding it are slopes up to
nearly 1900 metres, higher than any peak in Britain though modest in Alpine
terms. The latest temperature at 1500 metres is minus 16C at 23.00hrs. To
reach the frost hollow at the moment the way I went in August would be
impossible due to the snow conditions with the depth of snow at 2 metres.
We have heard that certain ski resorts have been in trouble in Scotland but
in this area of Austria snow has been wonderful in recent years and they are
extending their runs.
Enjoy this picture taken nearby to the hollow this morning at 10AM and you
will seen how beautiful and snowy it is. follow the link:-

http://www.wetterpanorama.at/niedero...hkar/bild5.jpg

Ian Currie- Coulsdon
www.frostedearth.com



"John Hall" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Ian Currie writes:
While the adrenaline is running high here with an almost hysterical
anticipation of impending cold weather[ this will increase in the coming
years as forecasts extend ever outwards thus building up more time to
speculate and contemplate] I have been monitoring so far this winter an
area
in Austria which is famous for its low temperatures, some 65 miles south
west of Vienna.
Imagine all the rain in December and January in Britain falling as snow.
Well this is what has happened in this area of Austria where the snow
depth
is approaching 2 metres or 6 feet, enough to satisfy all but the most
ardent
of snow fans on this new group.
snip

Since this is essentially a frost hollow, wouldn't a substantial
proportion of the precipitation be freezing rain rather than snow, where
there were above freezing temperatures above the pool of freezing air
close to the surface?
--
John Hall

"Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong."
Oscar Wilde

In article ,
Ian Currie writes:
Enjoy this picture taken nearby to the hollow this morning at 10AM and you
will seen how beautiful and snowy it is. follow the link:-

http://www.wetterpanorama.at/niedero...hkar/bild5.jpg

Thanks, Ian. That's a marvellous picture.
--
John Hall
"One half of the world cannot understand
the pleasures of the other."
From "Emma" by Jane Austen (1775-1817)

"Ian Currie" wrote in message
...

Enjoy this picture taken nearby to the hollow this morning at 10AM and
you
will seen how beautiful and snowy it is. follow the link:-

http://www.wetterpanorama.at/niedero...hkar/bild5.jpg

Ian Currie- Coulsdon
www.frostedearth.com

Ian,

Like you, I love such places. In fact my visit to a town lying at 2100m
in the French Alps, surrounding mountains rising to 3656m, can not
come soon enough ! Seen here - http://makeashorterlink.com/?V12925C27
is Tignes.

Joe