Weather experts forecast a tough season for many of Europe's ski resorts
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The wait is over. AccuWeather’s annual winter forecast for Europe is here, and the upcoming season is expected to be much different than last winter in more ways than one.
Countries all across Europe are experiencing a new wave of the coronavirus, prompting new restrictions that will go into effect just weeks away from the start of winter.
Skiers, in particular, are keeping a close eye on travel restrictions and new rules at resorts as they look to enjoy some time on the slopes with the prospects of snow perhaps being a second thought.
Far away from the snow-covered mountains, restaurant owners from Moscow to Madrid are hoping to keep outdoor seating areas open as long as the weather permits.
While it is uncertain how the pandemic will evolve in the coming months, AccuWeather’s team of long-range forecasters are growing confident on what types of weather Europeans can expect this winter.
Part of the team includes Tyler Roys, who has been a meteorologist at AccuWeather for nearly a decade, Alan Reppert, a senior meteorologist who has been with AccuWeather since 2001, and Jason Nicholls, a senior meteorologist who leads AccuWeather’s group of international forecasters.
Signs of winter have already arrived in parts of the British Isles and Northern Europe with the second named windstorm of the season hitting in mid-October.
However, AccuWeather states the jump start on the windstorm season is not indicative of what’s to come.
Last winter, the region saw an unusually high number of windstorms, which pummelled the Atlantic coasts with hard-hitting waves and hurricane-force winds. However, a repeat is not in the cards for this winter.
“Even though it’s already had a semihot start with several named storms, we are looking at a less active year than last year,” Roys said.
January through early February will be the most active time of the winter in terms of windstorms, but storms during other parts of the winter cannot be completely ruled out.
Infrequent storms across northern Europe will lead to some dryness concerns heading into the winter months.
Roys said: “Northern France into Germany, especially western Germany, have been experiencing drought, so the dry conditions we are expecting this winter will not help at all. In terms of replenishing reservoirs, getting rivers back to normal levels, this is the time to do that, and that’s not going to happen."
Farmers across the region that grow winter wheat may encounter issues later in the season due to the dryness.
Even though drought conditions may become worse, the drier-than-normal conditions could benefit restaurants and outdoor markets across the region that are hoping to utilize outdoor areas well into the winter to keep their businesses afloat during the pandemic.
Despite the company's projection of a stormy winter for southern Europe, it may not translate to good news for snow lovers in the heartlands of skiing.
“The one thing that I will say is that the Alps might be hurting for snow this year,” Roys said. “Especially on the Italian side of the Alps.”
The winter does have the chance to start off on the snowy side in December, but the prospects for snow are anticipated to diminish in January and February.
A few ski resorts across the region have already opened slopes due to autumn snow, but the AccuWeather experts say the poor conditions in the forecast for the middle of this winter could hurt resorts that are already dealing with complications surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
The predominately southern storm track across Europe this winter will also increase the number of Bora wind events in Croatia, that could ultimately be to the benefit of ski resorts in Italy outside of the Alps.
“These Bora winds are known to reach hurricane force and are winds that will come off the Dinaric Alps into eastern Italy,” Roys said.
Precipitation could be enhanced in eastern Italy due to air rising over the mountains and coming off the sea.
While the Italian Alps may end up with below-normal snowfall, Bora winds could cause snow to pile up in the mountains of Italy near the Adriatic Sea. This includes some ski resorts such as Monte Piselli, Bolognola and Risalita sciistica Carpegna.
Back to northern Europe, and the northern lights that dance across the sky this winter could be the best seen in years across the high latitudes.
AccuWeather has said there will be perhaps one or two chances to see the aurora in part of the British Isles.
Solar activity will be increasing as the sun transitions from a period of low activity, known as the solar minimum, to a period of high activity, known as the solar maximum.
The sun is still several years away from the height of the upcoming solar maximum, but there has already been a noticeable uptick in activity that has set off some impressive displays of the aurora borealis.
AccuWeather serves more than 1.5 billion people daily to help them plan their lives and get more out of their day through digital media properties, such as AccuWeather.com and mobile, as well as radio, television, newspapers, and the national 24/7 AccuWeather Network channel.
