How to read a snow forecast for your ski trip
Check the altitude, time window, units and update time first. Then separate expected snowfall from measured snow depth and reported piste conditions.
Start with the place and the period
A snow forecast describes expected weather for a particular location and time. Check which altitude it represents and whether the period covers your ski day. For example, PisteWindow compares 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 metres at the Saalbach model location. Other destinations use the altitudes shown on their pages. These are altitude-adjusted forecasts, not three observation stations. The overview covers available hourly intervals in a 48-hour window from the next whole hour.
Is snowfall the same as snow depth?
No. Snowfall is new precipitation during a stated period; snow depth describes snow already on the ground. On PisteWindow, modelled solid precipitation is expressed in millimetres of water equivalent. It is not centimetres of fresh snow or a measured snowpack. Read the unit beside the number before comparing two forecasts. Our Sources and Methodology pages explain the inputs and assumptions.
A worked example: 6 mm does not mean 6 cm
Illustrative example, not a Saalbach forecast: suppose a complete 24-hour period contains 6 mm of modelled snowfall water at 1,500 metres. That describes the amount of water in the expected solid precipitation. Without an assumed snow density, it does not determine fresh-snow depth. Nor can it be added directly to a measured depth in centimetres. If only 18 of the 24 required hours are available, PisteWindow withholds the total; it does not fill the gap with zero or scale the partial amount up.
Why compare different altitudes?
The forecast for the village is not a substitute for the forecast higher up. Compare the same hour at each altitude and read temperature and precipitation together. Do not turn a modelled altitude band into a claim about a specific piste. The three Saalbach bands use one location; terrain illustrations are schematic and do not describe every slope.
How recent is the forecast?
Issue time tells you when the provider updated the forecast. Retrieval time tells you when PisteWindow stored it. Valid time tells you which hour it describes. A newly retrieved forecast can still have an older issue time. PisteWindow’s current views exclude issues more than 24 hours old. Forecast times use the destination’s local timezone, shown with the data. Source-report times with an unconfirmed timezone are kept as supplied. Missing or stale data means unavailable, not zero snow.
How reliable is a longer forecast?
Uncertainty generally increases with lead time, but the weather situation also matters. PisteWindow does not publish a validated accuracy percentage or ensemble probability. If your holiday is outside the available forecast period, use the page to follow changes closer to departure rather than predict the conditions for those distant dates.
What does a change between updates mean?
Compare forecasts for the same future hours, altitude and source. Otherwise, a different time window can look like a weather trend. PisteWindow’s journal compares retained versions and shows when the underlying forecasts were issued. A temperature change describes the weather forecast for those hours. Missing historical versions cannot support a daily or weekly comparison.
Does forecast snow mean good skiing?
A weather forecast does not confirm snow depth, grooming, open lifts or piste conditions. Snowmaking weather describes suitable weather hours, not confirmed production. Selected ski areas have source-reported snow depths, with location and timing limits. These reports do not establish the condition of every piste. The Saalbach page shows source-reported lift states separately, with coverage and time limitations. Check the official resort report for reported conditions and openings; use our Saalbach page to understand the available weather evidence.
Before you use the numbers
Check four things: the correct altitude and ski-day hours; the unit and complete data coverage; the provider’s issue time; and which claims are forecast, modelled or observed. Then open the Saalbach forecast to apply these checks. For how a number was calculated, use Methodology; for where it came from, use Sources.