Passo Stelvio on September 9, 2024.
Recent weather events in the mountainous regions of Europe, especially in the Alps, seem to anticipate a winter of heavy snowfall. The heavy precipitation and heavy snowfall forecast for the coming months is excellent news for both the winter sports industry and the accumulation of water reserves.
According to data provided by Meteo France, the Alps have recorded accumulations of between 10 and 70 cm of snow on their highest peaks and the Pic du Midi in the French Pyrenees has been dyed white. The "premature" arrival of snow is particularly noticeable in the French and Italian regions, notably the Mercantour and Haute-Maurienne valleys in France as well as the Italian Alps and the Apennines, from the Ligurian coast to Reggio Calabria, where up to 20 cm of snow has been recorded on the highest peaks.
These conditions are ideal for the ski resorts, which are preparing for a successful winter season. Similarly, the Swiss Alps are experiencing large amounts of snow, especially in areas such as Simplon and Valle Maggia, where up to 30 cm have accumulated in the last few days.
In addition, in recent weeks, the Italian Alps have experienced a significant weather change as well as in most of the Italian ski resorts, with the arrival of early and heavy snowfall for this time of the year. Between 9 and 13 September 2024, several Alpine regions received the first snowfalls of the season, with notable snow accumulations, especially in the Aosta Valley, the Valtellina and in areas bordering Switzerland, such as the Resia Pass.
"THESE SNOWFALLS ARE DUE TO THE ENTRY OF A POLAR AIR MASS WHICH HAS BROUGHT TEMPERATURES DOWN TO UNUSUALLY LOW VALUES FOR SEPTEMBER".
Between 13 and 14 September, snowfall is expected to intensify, reaching low levels in some mountain areas, which is an exceptional weather event for the beginning of autumn. This situation favours not only tourist activity in the ski resorts, but also the accumulation of essential water resources for the coming months.
Without going into detail with terms from the meteorological glossary, the combination of cold air masses and continuous precipitation is likely to result in a prolonged winter season, with many opportunities for winter sports and increased water reserves.
Sources predicting a winter generous in snowfall
Several meteorological sources predict that winter 2024 will be particularly snowy in Europe's major mountain regions. According to MeteoWeb, an inflow of cold polar air is expected to cause early snowfall in the Italian Alps, even at low altitudes during September, indicating the possibility of a snow-laden winter.
In Spain, ElTiempo.es has reported that the arrival of the DANA in September has already generated heavy precipitation in the Pyrenees and other mountain areas, creating favourable conditions for a strong and prolonged ski season.
In Germany, MeteoDeutschland predicts a cold winter with frequent snowfall in the Bavarian Alps region, a trend that seems to be in line with the early arrival of storms and low temperatures.
On the other hand, The Weather Channel also anticipates a winter with more snowfall than usual in the European mountains, signalling a change in patterns that could lead to significant snow accumulations throughout the season.
With these predictions, the winter sports and tourism sectors are preparing for a very favourable winter season. For ski resorts, these early snowfalls are an incalculable benefit. In recent years, the ski season has started more irregularly due to lack of snow, affecting not only the direct income of the resorts, but also the local economies that depend on winter tourism. Who knows, perhaps this year it will be possible to ski at the beginning of December and the early snow will allow national and international tourists to feed Europe's ski areas. In the meantime, the forecast of continuous snowfall over the next few days makes us dream of a long and profitable season for the ski resorts, which are expected to open their doors earlier than expected.
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