Winter Skiing Conditions in Les Gets and Morzine
Overall the skiing conditions
in Les Gets and Morzine remain some of the best that you'd see anywhere in the Alps.
This is partly thanks to a combination of the pretty good snow record, tree-line skiing (protecting
the pistes from wind and sun), and the excellent work
of the pisteurs (season 2010-11 is testament to that). Morzine and Les Gets have invested sensibly in snow cannon, particularly for returning pistes.
Temperatures have been recorded well below -20°C in January and February, as in the 2004-05 season,
but the norm is typically at a comfortable level averaging between -5°C and zero.
In March/April the 2010-11 season was an exception, but usually skiing can be good right to the
season's end. This is usually around the 3rd week of April
for Morzine and Les Gets, but nearby Avoriaz remains open for
another week.
Fog (or
low-flying cloud) is rarely a problem in these resorts, but this
or heavy snow, or sometimes just poor light leading to an extreme
lack of contrast can make it difficult to pick out the pistes at
higher levels without yellow or orange goggles. However in poor visibility tree-line skiing
can help to overcome this issue. It's possible to pick out the
piste edges and the surface definition appears to improve.
Trees enhance the perception of distance and depth in poor light, and the Morzine/Les
Gets ski area benefits significantly from this.
Summer in Les Gets and Morzine
Although the winter skiing season comes to a close during the 3rd
week of April, snow can continue to fall heavily into early May.
However it's short-lived, and temperatures start to rise quickly
during May. There often seems to be too short a Spring before
Summer apparently arrives at the end of May or early June.
The
important lifts open again for mountain-biking around mid-June,
and events such as the
Passeporte du Soleil mark the start of the summer season.
Although the height of Summer here can be very warm with
temperatures frequently above 25 and 30°C (sometimes reaching 35°C),
it rarely feels stifling in the Alpine mountain breeze.
However UV levels can be deceivingly high and as with winter
skiing a heavy layer of suncream or sunblock is strongly
recommended. Fortunately there are several lakes and pools
to cool off in.
When it
rains, it's usually brought by a storm with spectacular thunder
and lightening. Although these storms are heavy, they are
usually short-lived, though it's a bad time to be caught out in
the mountains. It's essential to check the weather forecast
before a mountain trek. Hailstone storms during August in
the Alps are not unknown, hurling ice stones the size of marbles
and sometimes golf balls. However these brief dramatic
storms are typically preceded and followed by long periods of
sunshine and blue skies.
In July
and August it's usually very warm at least into the late evening.
The summer tourist season continues usually until mid-September
when the lifts close, though some of the most pleasant weather can
be enjoyed right through to the end of September.
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