Sum up

General situation:

A southerly airflow (map 1) is drawing in a lot of cloud and some showers across the southern Alps, but brighter conditions are still prevailing further north. On Saturday (map 2) Atlantic fronts can be seen encroaching from the west with low pressure also beginning to form over the Med. This twin-pronged attack becomes more organised on Sunday (map 3) and is likely to bring lots of snow to the southern Alps - continuing into next week - at which point more northern areas may also be affected. All in all, the situation is looking complex for the first three days of next week with a return to winter for some high resorts fortunate enough to still be open.

Surface pressure charts (Met Office)

Click to enlarge


Forecast:

Much of Austria will be dry today, Friday, with plenty of sunshine across northern areas. Cloudier skies are, however, expected further south with a few showers possible close to the border regions (snow 1600m). It will be mild in the north, cooler further south. Any showers should die out on Saturday with sunny spells and mild temperatures for all areas (freezing levels close to 2500m). The northern Austrian Alps will hang on some sunshine on Sunday but cloud will increase in the far south later with a renewed threat of showers and some snow above 2100m.

France

The northern French alps will see plenty of sun on Friday with freezing levels approaching 2500m. It will be cooler and cloudier further south with the odd shower possible close to the Italian border (snow above 1800m). Saturday should start bright everywhere — and remain so in the north — but cloudier skies are expected further south later. It will feel quite warm, especially in any sunshine. It may remain bright for a time across the northern French Alps on Sunday but cloud will gather later with the chance of a thundery shower. The southern French Alps will be cloudy all day with showers, becoming heavy in places later with snow above 1800m.

Italy:

Most Italian resorts will be cloudy on Friday with showers, heaviest in the west with snow above 1400m. Saturday will be drier and milder everywhere with some sunshine in places and freezing levels close to 2300m. On Sunday it will dry at first in the east (Dolomites) but showers will gather later with snow above 1700m. Further west, there will be showers all day, becoming heavier and more persistent later with snow above 1500m.

Switzerland

Northern areas will be mostly dry with sunny spells on Friday. Further south, the skies will be cloudier with a few showers in places and some snow above 1400m. Saturday will be generally dry with bright or sunny spells and a few isolated showers. On Sunday it will remain dry across many northern Alpine regions but heavy snow (1600m) is likely to set in across the far south (especially south-west) with significant accumulations in places.

Outlook:

The beginning of next week is looking very unsettled with snow (1500m) for many regions, especially the south and west. It will become colder for a time before drier, milder returns later in the week.

Next update Tuesday 28th April