Late July in the Alps: the storm clock starts at two

Across the western Alps the pattern is set. Mornings sit near 14°C, afternoons climb past 20°C, and storms build between two and five. Snow has mostly gone above 2,500 metres, so the trails run dry. The catch is the clock. Start at six, be off the exposed ridges by early afternoon, and a packable hardshell settles the question when the sky turns.