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Snow Report Summary
There's a fair amount of snow in the forecast for much of The Alps over the next few days, although not for everywhere. Temperatures will remain relatively mild (for January!) for the next week to ten days, although the weather systems are quite dynamic at present and that may change.
This Week's Headlines:
* Up to a metre of fresh snow in the Alps.
* Up to 1.5m of fresh snow reported in the Dolomites.
* Heavy weekend snow on New England slopes.
* Scottish 13-14 ski season clocks up its first complete week.
Conditions in the Alps have continued to improve over the past week with many resorts receiving at least a foot (30cm) of fresh snow over the last seven days, in some cases as much as a metre. Ski areas in the west and southern half of the region have done better than those in the north and east in most cases, and higher elevation ski areas have also reported the biggest falls.
In the Dolomites falls have been bigger still with accumulations nearing 1.5m (five feet) in the last seven days reported. As a result the opportunities for freeriding off piste have increased, but inevitably so has the avalanche danger, with, sadly, a number of deaths reported.
The snow cover picture remains a patchy one, with some lower areas, particularly in Austria, still heavily reliant on snowmaking and with limited cover, while bases on some glaciers have climbed back above two metres.
It's been good news for Scottish ski areas which have all been open for a week since Boxing Day and for the past seven days at least seem to have escaped the storm systems they suffered for six weeks or so before Christmas and which much of the rest of Britain has been facing. Across the Atlantic there been heavy snow in New England, with more of the same expected, whereas the West Coast is suffering something of a drought.
Off Piste Danger - Take Extra Care
The weak and unstable layers in the snowpack that we highlighted last week are still very much in evidence and French and Swiss authorities have again stressed the danger of avalanches.
Sadly, there have been around a dozen avalanche fatalities in The Alps in the past week and there are likely to be more. Current (mild) conditions should help the snowpack stabilize at lower altitudes but it is likely that dangerous slabs, even on low-angled slopes, will persist well into the season.
If you're looking to leave the pistes at all; take local advice before doing so, check the avalanche bulletin in resort and take extra care on all slopes. Wear a transceiver, carry a shovel and a probe, and do not ski alone - hire a guide if you do not know the resort.
We would also caution that the off-piste snowpack is thinner than usual in much of the Northern Alps, with many hidden (and not-so-hidden) hazards of rocks and ice.
Europe
Austria
Unfortunately Austrian resorts have generally reported the least of the new snowfalls since Christas although most received 5-15cm of new snow on Saturday/Sunday, with those in the east of the country generally fairing best – Lech and St Anton added 20cm to their bases. But most areas could do with a big snowfall still after a generally dry December.
Mayrhofen for example reports on 5cm on lower slopes, 60cm (two feet) at the top and the majority of Austrian ski areas likewise have a foot or less of snow cover at resort level and most still less than a metre at the top of their runs. That said, most still have all or most of their pisted terrain open. There have been some sizable accumulations reported too with higher altitude areas doing the best. Obergurgl, for example, has had about a metre of snow in the past week and has 75cm at resort level ad 1.7m (nearly six feet) of snow lying at the top of its runs, so is in great shape.
France
Most French resorts have reported at last 30cm of fresh snow in the last week and several as much as 70cm – leading to a dramatic improvement in conditions at most compared to the pre-Christmas December period. Most French areas have 50-80cm bases at resort level and 1-2m on upper slopes, with Alpe d'Huez reporting the country's deepest base at present at 2.1m (seven feet), moving back over two metres following 70cm of new snow falling in the last seven days. Meribel has had 30cm of new snow this week but has one of the country's smaller bases at 50-90cm, Serre Chevalier has 30 – 130cm after receiving 60cm of new snow this week – typical of the heavier snow reported in the Southern Alps compared to the north. Chamonix says it has received over 30cm (a foot) of fresh snow in the first few days of 2014.
Italy
Italian resorts have enjoyed some of the biggest snowfalls in the entire world (and certainly in Europe) over the past week with some areas in the Dolomites claiming up to 1.4m (over 4.5 feet) of fresh snow. Arabba reports that much has fallen, for Cortina it has been 1.2m (four feet) and for PassoTonale 1.3m. Over in the west of Italy there have been big snowfalls too – for example 90cm (three feet) at Cervinia.
Switzerland
Swiss resorts have also reported large snowfalls over the past week. Andermatt continues to boast the biggest snow depth in the world at 3.5m and reports 50cm of fresh snow in the last week. The biggest snowfall however was in Europe's highest slopes at Zermatt which reported 1.2m (four feet) of new snow, its neighbour Saas Fee the second most with 105cm (3.5 feet). On the west side off the country there was 50cm in the Portes du Soleil at Champery. Other big snowfalls included 55cm at Leysin and 45cm at Gstaad.
Pyrenees
The excellent season continues in the Pyrenees with an average of a foot (30cm) of new snow at ski centres across the region. Base depths remain among the best in the country with all centres in Andorra reporting a 90-100cm base on lower slopes alone with 1.2 to 1.m (4-6 feet) at the top of the ski areas.
Scandinavia
There's little change in Scandinavian ski area snow cover with average bases across the region some 30 to 60cm. Many areas have reported small snowfalls, the biggest 12cm in the past week at Lillehammer in Norway. Voss, which has had 10cm of new snow since Boxing Day, reports the deepest snow in the country at 70cm.
Eastern Europe
Little or no new snowfall has been reported across Eastern Europe and snow depths are now quite limited with typically only 10-30cm hard packed snow bases in Romania and Slovenia and only a little better – 30 to 60cm, in Bulgaria.
Scotland
Scottish ski areas have enjoyed a week long break from the near two month long cycle of violent storms, gales and thaws. Unusually the bad weather affecting most of Britain has tended to stop in southern Scotland giving some perfect still blue sky days on Scottish slopes over this key holiday period. All five areas have been open since Boxing Day and although cover is not comprehensive, there is, for example, top to bottom skiing in Cairngorm. Most centres have had periods of snowfall, with Glencoe reporting fresh snow for New Year's day.
North America
Canada
Moderate snowfalls across Canada with, unusually, the biggest snowfalls reported in Ontario, with resorts like Blue Mountain and Horseshoe ski areas reporting over a foot (30cm) in the first 24 hours of 2014. Even more unusual the extreme west of the country – Vancouver island and BC's west coast are having a bad-to-terrible start to the season with Mt Washington on Vancouver island, often one of the world's snowiest ski areas, still; unable to start its season due to lack of snow. Whistler says its snow levels are below usual but is almost fully open with on piste skiing. In land it is more 'normal' in Alberta and BC with bases typical 70-150cm, and areas like Fernie and Revelstoke reporting 15 – 2cm (6-8 inches) of new powder in the last week. Snow fall has slowed to just a few centimetres in Quebec on the East but areas still look good after the Christmas snow with similar base depths to Westerly areas.
USA
The biggest snowfall in the US of the [past seven days have unusually (although not for the first time this season) been reported on the East Coast where many resorts in New England reported up to a foot (30cm) of snow in 24 hours on Sunday/Monday – good timing for the New Year holiday. Among areas reporting big falls were Cannon Mountain and Waterville Valley with 20cm each and Okemo and Attitash 25cm each.
In the main destination resorts of Colorado and Utah conditions are more 'average' for the time of year (Winter Park reported 20cm of new snow in 24 hours over the weekend) although further West in California more snow is needed after a warm dry month that has left Mammoth's base at 30-60cm, thanks in part to snowmaking, although the resort is keen to stress that 85% of runs are still open.