More than a meter

White Christmas: Tyrol will be drowning in snow

After many years, the Christ Child has a great Christmas present for Tyrol this year - lots of snow!(Bild: Peter Freiberger, Christof Birbaumer)

The meteorologists leave no doubt: it will snow heavily in Tyrol right on Christmas - right down to the Inn Valley. It could be up to 25 centimetres here, and more than a meter on the mountains. A white Christmas is imminent, winter fun on the slopes and cross-country ski trails is guaranteed.

What happens meteorologically in Tyrol until Sunday is a kind of prelude to the strong onset of winter from Monday. "All weather models show that there will be a white Christmas even in the Inn Valley," predicts meteorologist Nikolas Zimmermann from the UBIMET weather service.

Even more of the white splendor in the northern congestion
Between 15 and 25 centimetres of the white splendour could fall on Monday and Tuesday in Innsbruck, for example. From the Außerfern across the Karwendel to the Kitzbühel Alps, it could even be 30 to 40 centimetres from 900 meters. And the special "treat" according to Zimmermann: "Christmas Eve won't just be white, it will actually snow on the 24th."

Christmas Eve won't just be white, it will actually snow on the 24th.

Nikolas Zimmermann, Meteorologe Wetterdienst UBIMET

On the mountains, "Frau Holle", or the expected northerly dust situation, is proving to be even more of a challenge. Zimmermann: "I'm expecting up to one meter of snow, on the Arlberg and in the classic north-facing areas it could be even more. At the same time, it will be bitterly cold at altitude. On December 24, we can expect minus 18 degrees at 3,000 meters. It will snow in the Inn Valley with highs around 0 degrees.

A meter or more of snow will fall in the mountains - beware, the risk of avalanches will increase significantly.(Bild: Peter Freiberger)

"Timetable" for a white Christmas
And this is the "timetable" for a white Christmas: On Friday, snow will fall as far as the valleys in the wake of the cold front, although more than a few centimetres are unlikely. Saturday will be cloudy but dry. On Sunday, the low pressure will increase and the snow line will fluctuate between the valleys and around 900 meters.

Heavy snowfall from Monday evening
Monday is when it really starts: The snow line drops again, with heavy snowfall from the evening onwards. It continued in a similar vein on the 24th, with the intensity of the snowfall decreasing somewhat over the course of the day. "It's too early to say whether the snowfall will continue on Christmas Day," says meteorologist Zimmermann.

It could hardly be better: high-pressure weather after snowfall
From St. Stephen's Day, the Tyrolean winter wonderland should look even more kitschy. "An area of high pressure is spreading, it's getting milder again," announces Zimmermann.