Last weekend I was amped up. Jungfrau ski season was supposed to begin, but they they postponed it. No snow on any of the slopes, not even on the Schilthorn. Now this weekend is the same. Postponed. I have a friend that works up there and they said there has been no snow in the higher elevations in over a month. What is happening? Are we ever going to see snow? When I arrived my colleagues kept saying that November was a cold wet month, but yet it is the 25th and we have had exactly 0 days of rain or snow.

Looks like some may finally be on the way towards the end of next week. 30+cm forecast for Zermatt, which is good as I'm leading a holiday there the next week. Not so much for Engelberg. I'll be down there tomorrow but don't think we'll bother skiing. Just the glacier open, and as we've already had 15 days this season it's not like we're desperate

Sure we will, but...

Sweden and Finland, particularly the southern parts have been exceptionally warm and mostly snow-free this year and November can be brutal without any snow to brighten up the dark days and extra-long nights. There's a big storm predicted for the weekend there, but it will be mostly wind and not snow (and a bit like the snowacane that hit Alaska recently) for Stockholm and Helsinki. I wouldn't polish your skis up just yet as, though there doesn't need to be snow up north for it to snow in Switzerland, it certainly indicates that the weather pattern is not normal in what we can usually expect.

I blame global climate change and la niña. I also blame that old lady on the 4th floor across the street who called the police on me back in May.

Just seems strange. I moved here assuming that there was at least consistent snowfall in the high alps. I look put over the Jungfrau and it seems to have less snow than in August.

complain complain complain thats all you english ever do...

It's primarily because G.W., supposedly acting on behalf of the masses, didn't sign up to Kyoto; and the likes of fast developing nations such as India and China, not even attempting to meet their targets .... all in all, resulting in my skis gathering dust in the cellar.

I'm no defender of GWB but this has been a long time coming. I remember in th e 70s when we'd get a foot of snow regularly but by the 80s that was already a thing of the past. The only hope of ever trying to solve this problem is to stop trying to place blame and to monetize it in a way that those who run things understand that it will cost more to ignore it. It's probably too late, but there may be some comfort in enlightenment, no matter how late.

I'm a weather enthusiast and, even at my amateur level, the number of 'lifetime events' has mushroomed in the last five years. What this means to the average guy is that food (first, then water) is going to become a real issue on a planet already struggling to feed 7bln people. Things are going to get truly 'interesting', for some value thereof, in the next 10 years or so.

Don't worry about the who is to blame at this point since it serves no purpose. Worry about where the water is going to be.

FWIW last year was much colder than usual, which made the snow pack very dangerous for the whole season as the base level had goblet like crystals which are unstable. Lets hope when the snow comes the temperature is not less than -1 degrees for every 10 cm of snow that falls.

I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that the human species is going to destroy the planet and 90% of the life on it.

It seems, too many people (and corporations) see themselves and their actions as not being a part of the global environment; that somehow we are separated from and superior to the natural world, and that everything else exists for our manipulation however we choose. This anthropocentric way of thinking is going to be our undoing.

Unfortunately it shows little signs of changing.

Well, you have to extrapolate that if the EU can't get its shite together with a currency, that when push comes to shove with resources like food and water, it's probably safe to assume that countries that are not able to sustain themselves with both are likely screwed, e.g. the entire european continent. Russia, China and India are out for obvious reasons. Which leaves AU, Africa, SA and NA. If you keep up with rainfall predictions in climate models, you'll know where to move next, i.e. not the US southwest.

I have little faith in humanity, so I have to believe in the science, the numbers I'm seeing and, whether or not it is reversible is not really of interest at this point. The economic situation right now complicates things as I don't think, if the weather patterns continue to disrupt food and tourism income, we'll ever really recover enough to bother with blame. Look to where the water will be and where the borders are few enough to allow for free trade of food, e.g. not europe.

Agree, concerned about future of humanity... Climate changes, wars, hunger, social unstability, values erroding, AIDS, waste management, oil spills, polution, deforestation, hunger for power and money,uncontrolled immigration of people, low education.... So many indicators that post a challenge for future generations and the all ready 7billion! ...projections of doubling population soon... Cant think but wonder how people will deal with overpopulation, lack of food... lets learn from the good, the bad the ugly of what underdeveloped markets are facing ... Learn!

If water becomes the new oil I don't want to live here in CH when the U.S invades. First they must label the SVP as terrorists and make Blocher look like the new Bin Laden then they will come and relieve us of our leadership all while haliburton quietly pumps all the water out. No thank you. May have to move up to the Himilayas in order to get any fresh powder turns. Until then, lets just pretend this isn't happening and pray for snow, or dance for it or some African voodoo makalaka for it. Me, I just sing for it.

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, and since we've no place to go. Let it Snow! LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW!!!!! MF'ER!!!!!!

I will also be singing this song... we definitely want a white xmas...

Racist.......

Many resorts have invested heavily in snow canons - but we have a big problem at the mo - WATER, or rather lack of. We've have a very dry Summer and an even dryer autumn - and uplands farmers are already having to spend a lot of money bringing water in at huge cost, and culling beasts they can't keep through lack of water. A big clash of interests in the mountains.

Source .

remember the threads we had last summer about how all lakes were dried out , crisis this and that and we would all go hungry, crops destroyed etc. It rained right after that. People should stop being so hysterical all the time cause you read a story on the news... It has always been like this ( no I am not denying global warming and I am a huge environment freak) but the only thing that has really changed in the last decades is the info we have received and the amounts thereof. Al the events that have happened in recent times have happened many times before. (again I am not denying GW and the rise in temp)


Cool little anecdote.

Remember last winter when all the super "intelligent" weather services were predicting winter madness, etc etc as in like the world would end. All agreed.

Accept the one little station in Scotland who has been right about the weather almost everytime in the last 10 years. They told a whole diff story but guess what, they werent rich enough to be broadcasted.



The snow will come, this is not at all unusual. and more like the norm. LAst year it snowed early but only once (5days) on <800 m

We went to crans montana for Christmas. BARELY any snow....then our second day there it snowed non stop

Now I've got this image in my head of snowmen dressed as priests dotted all over the mountains...