Category: Weather

Local weather reports for the Portes du Soleil region

Great end of season conditions in the Portes du Soleil

After a mild and sunny March, I was just about ready to hang up my skis and get my bike out for the summer. However, winter has returned with a vengeance – heavy snow  on the mountain (even a light covering in the village of Chatel) and cold temperatures and more snow forecast for the rest of the weekend.

With the lifts staying open until the 22nd April, and the pistes (and off piste) empty, the next 8 days promise to offer fantastic skiing and boarding in the area. The Chatel tourist board are still reporting over 1 m 50 at top station and there is still 2 m at the top of the Portes du Soleil.

For those of us who live here – this is a little reward for all the hard work during the winter season. And once the lifts close, if it remains snowy I’ll just have to get my touring skis back out!

Chatel Snow Report

Snow in Chatel
Losing my garden to the snow

If you are interested in skiing, and you have an internet connection, I am sure it won’t have escaped your notice that it has been snowing in the Alps.

Here in Chatel and the Portes du Soleil, it has been dumping it down for days. The freezing level is low and the snow depths are very impressive for this early in the season.  The top of the Portes du Soleil has over 2 m, and even at the bottom of the runs we have nearly a metre.

Snow conditions have settled since the weekend, and the avalanche danger has been reduced to 3 (which is still pretty high, but a lot better than the 4/5 we had at the end of last week). So the off piste is open for business as long as you keep your sensible head on.

Snow in Chatel
Peering into the snow storm

And it is still snowing, with up to 50 cm forecast for the next 24-36 hours.

This snow gives us a fantastic base to build on for the rest of the season. It also ensures great conditions for the Christmas and New Year guests. For now though, all the locals are just walking around with big smiles on their faces. With hardly anyone on the mountain, there is more than enough powder to go around.

If anyone needs me, I’ll be up to my waist in the white fluffy stuff…

Snow, snow and more snow…

Finally we have woken up to white mountains and the high pressure which we have been enjoying all Autumn has finally dispersed. The forecast for the the next week is looking great – cold temperatures and snow!

Take a look at this prediction for next weekend – over a metre of snow predicted to fall in 24 hours.

Time to wax my skis and get my snow tyres on.

Snow Forecast

Excellent snow conditions in the Portes du Soleil

Fighting the crowds during half term weekIt’s been a bit of a lean winter, snow-wise, until recently. That being said, the conditions on piste have been excellent and a real testament to the talents of the snow makers and piste preparation staff.

Now, however, it looks as though winter has finally decided to arrive. We have had a lot of snow over the last week or so, and conditions on and off piste are superb. Chatel has 1m30, and Avoriaz has 1m70 so after a slow start we have quickly caught up to where the snow conditions should be at this time of year, and things are looking good for skiing throughout March and April.

And despite it being half term week, we managed to find empty open areas to ski this morning well away from the crowds.

Snow conditions – update

We woke to snow falling today which is always nice. Yesterday I took a spin around Pre La Joux, Linderets and Avoriaz, and pistes conditions were pretty good for the time of year. The off pistes is a bit barren in places, so don’t venture into it on your new planks! However, the piste skiing is great and a lot of the domain is open.

Things start to get busy at the weekend for the festive period, and the good news is that significant snow should be falling early next week!

Enjoy…

The first nip of winter

We haven’t posted here for a while – mostly because we have been so busy taking bookings for next winter. However, we thought you’d want to know that we have had the first nip of winter, with light snow on the mountains and sub zero temperatures in the village.

Good news for skiers! Not so good news for those of us who still have work to finish off outside…!

Visit the Chatel Weather Forecast page for more information.

Winter returns to Chatel

It was just starting to feel as though spring and really got one over on winter, but winter is fighting back! Temperatures are dropping this evening, and there is 60 cm of snow forecast over the next two days, with more falling towards the end of the week.

We already have plenty of snow to last until the end of April, but of course we never say no to more powder!!!