J2Ski Snow Report - November 1st 2012

Falling temperatures and fresh snows on both sides of the Atlantic, with plenty more in the short-range forecasts, are reinforcing the feeling that the new ski season is getting under way.

Whilst it will be a little milder in The Alps over the weekend, temperatures will fall below the season averages by Monday. At the same time, a succession of weather fronts will cross the region bringing snow to just about everywhere. The snowfalls predicted for the 4th and 5th, in particular, look pretty significant for the Northern and Eastern Alps and local accumulations could exceed 50cm in places! The snow line should fall toward 1,000 metres by the beginning of next week.

The longer term forecasts are consistently indicating snow in varying quantities throughout the next two weeks...

This Week's Headlines
- More than 80 ski areas are now open in Europe, Scandinavia and North America.
- Hurricane Sandy brings heavy snowfall to parts of Eastern North America, warm weather to others.
- Up to 50cm of snow in the Dolomites.
- Continuing snowfall in the Alps; with Verbier and Gstaad opening this weekend.
- Heavy snow in Scandinavia results in dozens of resorts opening. Norway's Hemsedal and Trysil opened today (Thursday November 1st) after 50cm snowfall.
- Third Colorado ski area, Keystone, opens for 2012-13.
- Last weekend of 2012 season in southern hemisphere.

Already Open – More Than 80 Ski Areas
Austria
There are great conditions on the seven open Austrian glaciers thanks to recent snowfall, which has averaged a 50cm coating. A video report has been released by Tirol, where most are located...



Among the winners are the Stubai glacier with 55 cm of fresh snow, snow up to 90cm deep and 41km of slopes open and Sölden which got another 15cm snow fall on Tuesday topping the total snow depth to 85cm. There were perfect conditions there during the FIS Ski Worldcup opening at the weekend 27/28 Oct. All 10 lifts on the glacier ski area are open. The Pitztal glacier has received 60cm (two feet) of fresh snow over the past week and now has 174cm snow depth and 27km of slopes open. The Tux, Molltal, Kaunertal, Kitzsteinhorn and glaciers are also all open and in good shape.

Finland
More resorts are opening in Lapland to join Ruka, which was the first top open, a fortnight ago. Levi, another of the country's top resorts, has opened one run with a 20cm base of natural snowfall. It will host World Cup racing next weekend (9th November).

France
Tignes, which has for the past month been the only ski area open in France, has been joined for one week only by Les Deux Alpes where the glacier is open until 4th November. It will then close for four weeks before the main season begins. Both glaciers are reported to be in good shape for snowsports with terrain parks in place and a freshen up of a few centimetres of new snow in recent days.

Italy
The Dolomiti Superski region has reported heavy snowfall with 50cm of snow in recent days. It's a similar story in Madonna di Campiglio. However no reports of any early openings as yet and the main choice remains Cervinia, now open full time through to 5th May 2013 after weekend openings in October. The snow is reported to be a metre deep and in good shape with 23km of runs open. Passo Stelvio and Val Senales are both also open for glacier skiing, the latter with a 30cm snowbase and five beginner and intermediate runs open.

Norway
There was heavy snowfall at the weekend in Norway and more than a dozen ski areas have opened or are about to across the country. It's a big improvement on last autumn when few resorts were able to open until early December because of exceptionally warm temperatures. On top of natural snowfall, which in some places has amounted to more than 50cm, temperatures are good for snowmaking too. Among the leading Norweigian resorts opening are Hemsedal, this Thursday 1st November with 40cm of snow, and Trysil on Sunday 4th November. More snowfall is expected.

Sweden
Scandinavia's largest resort, Åre, will open limited terrain this weekend on November 3rd thanks to the heavy snow in the region last weekend. It follows Vemdalen which opened for Halloween.

Switzerland
There are now five seven areas open in Switzerland, at weekends at least, with the cable car At Laax running at weekends throughout November until full time opening on 3rd December for the main season. Verbier announced it will open early on Friday November 2nd and Glacier 3000 between Gstaad and Les Diabletrets opens on Saturday, November 3rd. These joins already open glacier ski choices at Engelberg, the Diavolezza glacier in Engadin, Saas Fee and Zermatt.

North America
Canada
Two Alberta ski areas opening early last week. Mt Norquay at Banff and Nakiska in Alberta. Both reported great conditions with around a foot of snow on the ground. Other ski areas in Alberta and BC are reporting good conditions and the belief that 50cm bases they now have are 'locked in' for the start of winter now and wont thaw away until the spring. Lake Louise and Sunshine near Banff are due to open next, a week on Friday, on 9th November.

USA
After resorts in California and Colorado opened last weekend, attention has switched to the East Coast thanks to Hurricane Sandy. This has brought several feet of unprecedented late October snowfall to many ski areas, but equally many areas have been damaged, remain without power, or say it's the wrong kind of snow (heavy, wet stuff). Among ski areas opening early are Sugar Mountain and Cataloochee ski areas in North Carolina which opened for Halloween - their earliest ever openings. Both had around a foot (30cm) of snow. But areas to the north that had hoped to open this weekend such as Sunday River in Maine report they have "warm and wet" conditions so are delaying those early opening plans.

In the west Boreal and Squaw Valley are open in California, Timberline in Oregon, and Keystone has joined A Basin and Loveland in Colorado and Copper Mountain also aims to open this Friday, November 2nd – many other Western ski areas aim to open in the next week or so ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday period.

Southern Hemisphere – Still Open

It's the last weekend of the southern hemisphere's ski season with Turoa in New Zealand closing after Sunday, November 4th, despite still having a 2m base. It's now in that rare southern hemisphere ski season phenomena: 'Snowvember'.

Opening Soon (subject to conditions)
Copper Mountain, Colorado, plans to open Friday, November 2nd, 2012.

Glacier 3000 above les Diablerets and Gstaad in Switzerland expects to open on 3rd November.

Lake Louise, Sunshine, Banff and Breckenridge, Colorado on 9th November.

Heavenly and Vail open for skiing and snowboarding on Friday, November 16, 2012.

Sun Peaks, BC, November 17, 2012.

Val Thorens, France, November 24, 2012.