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Morzine Snow Report: 26th February 2013

Warming up and a spot of snow

featured in Snow report Author Debbie Priestley, Morzine Reporter Updated

Guess what guys? It was snowing again on Sunday night here in Les Portes du Soleil, and the weather forecast didn’t predict what happened either. They suggested a centimeter of snow, and we’ve had more like ten centimeters! This made for some fantastic skiing on Monday all over the area.

The conditions on Sunday were bitterly cold, the visibility was a little on the poor side, but the snow was great. There was even a little of the fresh stuff on top of well groomed pistes in some places. It was definitely a good day to be on the mountain. The sun poked its head out for a mere minute or two, bringing a little brightness to the afternoon, but conditions stayed too cold for proper snow for most of the day. Overnight temperatures dropped further still making for some icy driving conditions and frozen cars come the morning.

The forecast was for the cold conditions to continue throughout Monday, and then for things to get gradually milder throughout the week, but in the sunshine, it actually felt very mild yesterday. The next couple of days will see between minus fifteen and minus six at the top of the hill, which may well seem warm after the minus twenty temperatures we experienced over the past couple of days at the top. The sun should be out and about for the rest of the week, but interspersed with some cloud and the odd snow shower. Friday and Saturday should be milder still, with a max temperature getting up as high as minus two on Saturday afternoon. As far as the freezing level goes, Sun/Mon eve should be as cold as it gets for this week in Les Portes du Soleil.

The skiing over the next couple of days should be pretty good but it is one of the busiest weeks of the season, so beware of the crowds. Most parts of Les Portes du Soleil are packed with people and the lunchtime rush is beyond words. Booking is essential if you want to eat out, and driving along any narrow streets is a bit of a joke due to the sheer number of pedestrians.

That said, with the forecast looking warmer and springtime just around the corner, it is a lovely time to be here. And you can avoid the worst of the crowds with just a little bit of forward planning! Skiing through lunchtime is still a great tip to follow as while the majority of holidaymakers are jostling for tables, you can enjoy more peaceful skiing and less lift queues. My next tip is to try to avoid central areas and get away from the main slopes of resort as quickly as possible. Next, get up for first lifts and beat the ski school induced queues. Ski school usually starts around half past nine so hitting the lifts any time before this is a great idea and the earlier you’re there, the further away you’re going to be from the main bustle of the crowds.

February is coming to a close soon, but we still have a good few events to look forwards to before the season ends. The Rock the Pistes Festival is hitting Les Portes du Soleil between the 22nd and 24th of March this winter with some big names on the line up. L'Espace Killy may have the X-Games, but we have a music festival instead!

The crowds should thin slightly after this week, giving us a nice relaxing lull on the slopes till Easter hits. Along with the possibility of an Easter bunny, we’ll see the crowds coming back to the slopes for this holiday period. Easter is early this year which will probably mean it’s more busy than usual with most schools in the UK and France looking set to be on holiday at similar times.

Enjoy the sunshine this week, and make the most of it by enjoying some après ski sessions on sunny terraces. If you can ski on both Saturday and Sunday then these will be the days to be up the hill as they are set to be warmer and with clear skies.

Remember the sun-cream, especially if you’re pale and Scottish like me! Panda lines are definitely not cool!

Bon ski!

Stats

Snow Report
  • Alt. Resort: 1800m

  • Alt. Summit: 2466m

  • High Temp.: -6

  • Alt. High Temp.: 1800m