First snow in sight in the Sauerland: no start to the season yet
As temperatures drop, the first snow could fall at the weekend at high altitudes in the Sauerland and Eifel regions. The snow line will probably drop to around 400 to 500 meters at the weekend, said Jana Beck, meteorologist at the German Weather Service in Essen on Wednesday. "It's getting cooler, so a few flakes are sure to fall. But it's unclear whether there will be any significant precipitation at all and whether it will stick around," said Beck.
At night, temperatures will drop to -5 degrees on Saturday and Sunday at higher altitudes, but temperatures of two to three degrees are currently expected during the day. However, day trippers and locals in the mountains should expect slippery roads due to freezing rain.
The operators of the website "wetter-sauerland.de", who have their own network of weather stations in the region, are more euphoric: they expect heavy snow showers until Sunday, at least for altitudes above 600 meters. According to their estimates, there could be up to 20 centimetres of snow around the Kahler Asten. And even below that, it could turn white at least occasionally, according to their website.
However, winter sports fans should not get their hopes up just yet: It is unlikely that the first lifts will open as things stand, said Susanne Schulten, spokeswoman for the Wintersport-Arena Sauerland, the association of ski lift operators in the region. "The forecasts are still too uncertain," she emphasized. Although a few operators have started to make snow on their slopes, "a proper start to the season with a wide range of offers is not in sight", she emphasized. Many ski resorts, restaurateurs and hosts are still in the middle of preparing for the winter. Many huts are also still closed.
Despite the anticipated snowfall, leisure time activities during the weekend might still be impacted by slippery roads due to freezing rain. Furthermore, winter sports enthusiasts should continue to postpone their plans for hitting the slopes, as the first lifts are unlikely to open with sufficient snow coverage.
Source: www.dpa.com
