First snow of 2008

[AllanMason]

The weather here on the eastern slopes of the Abruzzo Apennines yesterday was overcast and cool with a high of 13° or so. It started to rain steadily at around 2 pm and that continued until at least 10 pm.

We woke up this morning to 11°, scattered clouds and the sun shining on the snow-capped peaks of the Gran Sasso (they're at about 2,500 meters and I suppose the snow comes down a couple hundred meters).

Looking through my photos for the last two years, I'm certain that the first snow in 2006 fell on the peaks on 1 November. I'm less certain of the exact date last year, but there was snow on the mountains at the beginning of November.

Take from that what you will. As for us, we're thinking that we're glad we've got a good supply of firewood for the winter.

[IRITALIA]

[Nielo]

I am sorry Alan, its al my fault, we have visitors from England and they were finding it a little too hot.

The weather forecast is for it to stay pretty cool for the next few days and there is likely to be more snow on the mountains.

I think it was in 2006 that they actually had some snowfall in the mountains in June. We watched some pretty spectacular avalanches when it warmed up again

[Carole B]

Same here in the Central Alps (Valtellina) yesterday... a sprinkling of snow already above the 1800m line - and it's COLD. It's still there this morning too!

Earliest snow here 'til now (recent years) was in 2005 and that was mid October. Last year nothing 'til mid November.

The signs are all here for a bad winter - early snow, bushes heavily weighed down with berries ready for the poor old birds... Just hope the snow 'window' is shorter here, where I am, than in 2005/6 when first 'light' snow arrived mid October, then the 'real McCoy' arrived (up to 5ft deep) in mid-late November and didn't clear 'til mid March 2006! And I'm only at 400m!

[Geotherm]

Temperatures here today mid-morning were under 15c. Local baker has said it will be cold tomorrow and quite likely more snow on the mountains. We are also at 400M

[phyllis]

Yes we are in the Notaresco area of Teramo, and like you we were very surprised to see the snow on the peaks this morning not so sure our friends arriving tomorow will be quite as pleased as we were to see it - it has certainly cooled down very quickly and my OH is already wanting to get the fire lit now we have had the wood delivered.

Originally Posted by AllanMason

The weather here on the eastern slopes of the Abruzzo Apennines yesterday was overcast and cool with a high of 13° or so. It started to rain steadily at around 2 pm and that continued until at least 10 pm.

We woke up this morning to 11°, scattered clouds and the sun shining on the snow-capped peaks of the Gran Sasso (they're at about 2,500 meters and I suppose the snow comes down a couple hundred meters).

Looking through my photos for the last two years, I'm certain that the first snow in 2006 fell on the peaks on 1 November. I'm less certain of the exact date last year, but there was snow on the mountains at the beginning of November.

Take from that what you will. As for us, we're thinking that we're glad we've got a good supply of firewood for the winter.

[Violetta]

I was thinking last night that it felt damp in the house for the first time since May but actually found today's "low" of 20 rather refreshing after the long hot summer of 30+ degrees. The torrential rain over the weekend here must have a negative effect on the grape harvest, which hasn't started here yet as sangiovese is always late. How's that going elsewhere, are people picking? V

[Violetta]

ps: Nielo's comments that his visitors from the UK are finding it rather too hot reminds me of the British couple staying at an agriturismo in our village this week. Everyone else at the market this morning was wearing jumpers, jackets, a couple of locals even in brown padded jackets (yep, already) but the Brit from the agriturismo comes striding through in shorts, tee shirts and sandals. Honestly, I felt frozen just looking at him and the Tuscans???

[Charles Phillips]

The BBC had a very long range weather report on the radio today, and it suggested that the UK would have a winter (all the way through until March - how can they know!) with temperatures at or above seasonal norms. The forecast for continental Europe however is for it to be a very cold winter. This accords with Carole and her heavily laden shrubs! And I do so hate fitting the snowchains.....

[AllanMason]

Originally Posted by phyllis

...my OH is already wanting to get the fire lit now we have had the wood delivered.

Don't know if you've been through a wood-warmed winter here or elsewhere, but personally I find the whole business of hauling in wood, lighting fires, tending them and cleaning out ashes all pretty irksome after about a week. It's fine if you don't have to do it and just light a fire of an evening because it looks nice, but it does get rapidly boring if you're using it for totally utilitarian reasons.

For me, it's rather like the olive harvest: something I look forward to, but which I get heartily sick of very quickly just because it's all so bloody tedious and repetitive.

Al