Morzine Snow Report: 11th April 2013

Thursday still looks set to be horrendous weather wise, but after that, it looks like the sun is finally going to hit Les Portes du Soleil. Thursday should see light to moderate snow at the top all day, and overnight, but combined with very mild temperatures, and this means (sorry guys) that it is going to be pissing it down anywhere under 2,000 meters. High winds are also forecast, so you might want to hit the pool instead of the slopes then, unless you’re a lot braver than me. Friday should see the wind drop slightly and some show showers about, interspaces with some sunshine. The freezing level is still sitting fairly high so there light be a little rain about lower down. Saturday will see similar temperatures, but with much less wind about, and clear blue bird skies. Overnight the freezing level looks set to move up to between two thousand six hundred and fifty meters and three thousand three hundred meters so it is really going to get hot. Temperatures should be above zero at the top at least till Tuesday morning, and could get as high as fifteen degrees over this period. Bring out the sun glasses and deck chairs, looks like we’re going to get a tan at last!

With the weather forecast looking as it currently is, personally I think Thursday is a write off, but the rest of the week is looking pretty good. It’s April now, and we could all do with a little sunshine in our lives. Friday might be a good day to do a little high up powder hunting, but after that it’s time to start enjoying that springtime slush.

When it’s hot and sunny you really do need to be strategic in choosing where you ski. The South facing slopes which get the sun first thing in the morning are going to be knee deep in slush by the end of the day, so it’s a good idea to start your day on these slopes and follow the sun round the mountain. The slopes in the shade will stay hard longer and should still be fairly firm in the afternoon. When it does get really slushy, it can get pretty dangerous for knees, especially if you’re on skis, as the slush can make skiing really hard work. My mom discovered this earlier this week when she slid gracefully down a red run on her bum!

With the heat being turned up, goggles, or good sunglasses are going to be especially important. Snow blindness is a real danger out here, and is extremely unpleasant, especially for young children. Going by the red faces I’ve already seen, sun cream is also going to be especially important. Everyone things goggle lines are cool, and they might be in a ski resort, but having a red leather face is not nearly so cool when you get back to the UK. Go for a light tan instead, you still look like you’ve been on holiday, and you won’t have a beard burn all summer as a result. It’s also a lot less painful than sunburn; trust me on this one!

When the sun it at it’s peak, the snow parks are a great place to play. The slushy snow means softer landings, and that sunshine just makes it more fun. The stash is Avoriaz is a great place to start, as landing on wood is a lot less painful than landing on metal. There is also a Mini Stash in the village along with several parks spaced out over the ski area, most of which are still accessible.

After this weekend, a lot of the ski area is closing down for the summer, and we will be limited to Avoriaz and Pres La Joux on the Chatel side for skiing. This is a bit of a shame with all the snow that’s lying around, but what is exciting is that the new 3S gondola whirs into action this weekend. Furthermore, the plan for a direct link between Morzine and Avoriaz looks very promising and you can see a video of these plans on our site!

Not long now, make the most of the snow while it lasts!

Bon ski!