The Alps under Snow in mid-May

Snow across the entire Alpine arc starting from 1,800 meters of altitude. It sounds like a November forecast, yet it is the reality of this winter-flavored May. Snow has not yet left the slopes of the ski resorts and is already returning to blanket the high-altitude peaks, which at this time of year usually begin to show the first signs of spring.

No flowers or green meadows, just another veil of white from Aosta Valley to Friuli: many mountain resorts are back in winter mode with snowfalls and temperatures worthy of the peak ski season. Snow first appeared in the early afternoon of Wednesday the 15th, initially confined to high elevations (above 2,700 meters), before dropping on Thursday, May 16 to affect lower altitudes down to 1,800 meters.

The Grostè slopes in Madonna di Campiglio are blanketed in white, snow has fallen in Solda, the village of Cervinia is white, flakes are falling in the Dolomites above 2,000 meters, and heavy snowfalls have hit Livigno and Passo del Tonale.
The storm system hit the peaks above 2,500 meters particularly hard, bringing heavy snowfalls to Passo dello Stelvio as well, where crews are hard at work reopening the slopes ahead of the summer ski season. [[ SEE Summer Skiing 2013 at Passo Stelvio ]]

Snow at Passo del Tonale - May 16, 2013

Unusual as it may be, this is not an unprecedented event: exactly two years ago, the Dolomites were hit by a storm bringing snowfalls above 1,400 meters—a decidedly more wintry scenario than today’s, where snowflakes appeared only above 1,700/1,800 m.

Even so, in this 2013 forecasts point to a persistent weather pattern with snowfalls continuing over the coming days. Further snowfalls are expected across the entire Alpine arc, with the snow line fluctuating from hour to hour and brief local clear spells alternating with heavy snow showers.
It is great news for the glaciers, which are stocking up on fresh snow ahead of the upcoming summer season.

>> WATCH the LIVE Snow Webcams from the ski resorts