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Snow Report Summary
Now this is looking more like it (in Europe). Please pay attention, as there's a strong likelihood of disrupted transfers and travel this coming weekend.
This Week's Headlines
- Significant snow falling in the Alps.
- Up to 50cm of snow in 24 hours in Utah.
- Storms keep Scottish slopes closed for a week, but bring fresh snow with them.
- Still snowy in Scandinavia.
Things are looking much snowier in the Alps at the moment, with most resorts expected to receive 30-40cm of fresh snow by the end of the weekend. It could be the good news we've been waiting for after a season of false starts and, for most of the past six weeks, limited snow cover below 2000m at many resorts.
The latest trials faced by skiers this past week have included gale force winds and icy lower slopes after some resorts got rain to high elevations. But, hopefully, all that is now behind us!
Exactly how much snow does fall will be known in 72 hours but the early signs are good with many areas reporting 10-20cm in the first 24 hours of the weather system.
Elsewhere there's been more snow in Scandinavia, a lot more snow (again) in Western North America and enough snow for resorts to re-open in Scotland - when they can - as most have been closed by storms all week.
Elsewhere in the world there have been reports of heavy snow in the Eastern Mediterranean with Israel's only ski area starting its season on Monday as a result.
In the forecast
Once again, parts of The Alps have experienced above average temperatures for a few days this week but that's about to change with what looks like a prolonged turn to cold over the next few days.
There are widespread and significant snows in the forecast now, across the region. Some very heavy local snowfalls are likely this weekend and a few areas may well see accumulations of over a metre this weekend.
Once again, you should be prepared for disruption to travel plans this weekend and pay close attention to relevant weather predictions.
Check the J2Ski Forecasts regularly for the latest updates.
The Alps
Austria
Austria has been one of the snowiest places in the Alps over the last seven days. When snow finished in Switzerland and France at the end of last week it kept falling through Sunday and Monday on Austrian slopes, with some areas (Kaprun for example) reporting up to 50ccm of fresh snow. Then, after a few days break midweek, it's the first country to begin to report significant snowfalls from the new system. Kleinwalsertal reported 20cm in the last 24 hours. Snow depths could be better but aren't so bad at most Austrian areas now – typically with a foot on lower slopes and two to three feet higher up. Some still have thin cover down at resort though (3cm at Mayrhofen, 5cm at Serfaus etc) , but hopefully the new snowstorms will improve that.
France
It's snowing across the French Alps, much to everyone's relief. Light snow was reported in many areas from the early hours of Wednesday and this was beginning to add up by the end of the day yesterday, 20cm at Les 2 Alpes, Alpe d'Huez, Chamonix and Megeve already for example. And only a few centimetres less at many other big name resorts – Avoriaz, Flaine and Tignes to name a few. The snow should keep falling. The vast majority of French resorts have 60 to 120cm of snow on upper slopes, the 3 Valleys reports snow now lying a metre deep. As across the Alps lower slope depths are less impressive, only 15cm at Les 2 Alpes and Meribel and Chamonix says zero, but again hopefully the new snow will improve that.
Italy
It's been a second fairly dry week across Italy with many areas not reporting any fresh snow since Christmas week last year. That's set to change in the next week according to forecasters, the most optimistic predicting up to a metre landing on the Dolomites in the next seven days – that would be very welcome on the slopes once the logistics of clearing roads are completed. As it is the area is keen to stress that thanks to snowmaking most of the 1200km of runs in Dolomiti Superski are open. Some Italian areas in the west are already benefitting from the fresh snow – Cervinia and Courmayeur reported around 10cm of new snow each by the end of Wednesday. It's the same story of reasonably good cover on upper slopes but more needed at the base – particularly at Madesimo (1cm reported!), Selva and Cortina (5cm each), Madonna di Campiglio and Arabba (10cm each).
Switzerland
Most Swiss resorts reported 5-15cm of new snow on Wednesday and most are expect to receive 30-70cm more in the coming week. With similar stats and issues to the rest of the alps (limited cover on lower slopes) that has to be good news, particularly at resorts like Champery which reports only 30cm on upper slopes, nothing in resort – it had 10cm of fresh snow yesterday. Even the resorts reporting big numbers on upper slopes – such as Anderatt, Engelberg and Laax – all around the 3m/10 feet mark, on lower runs the numbers are only 15-35cm. Many other Swiss ski villages have similar limited cover at resort level.
Pyrenees
There's been no fresh snow in the Pyrenees since 2014! OK that's less than a fortnight ago, and snow is now in the forecast with most areas expecting to receive around a foot of fresh cover, but it sounds dramatic. Bases have dropped a little each week but remain relatively healthy, although the snow is getting a bit old. In Andorra Grandvalira (soldeu, Pas de la Casa) has a 60cm – 1m base and VallNord (Arcalia, Arindal, Pal) 40-120cm.
Scandinavia
It has kept snowing in Scandinavia with Norway continuing its good season, many areas reporting 20-30m of fresh snow in 24 hour periods. Most resorts have had at least 50c in the last seven days and Voss reports its base depth is touching 2m – quite unusual for the region, most other areas are on 60-90cm.
Eastern Europe
There's been more fresh snow in Eastern Europe where conditions are rather good. In Bulgaria, Bansko's lower slopes now have 30cm of cover and there's 110cm up top, quite healthy figures for the region. Borovets, which reports 85-95cm cover, has had 12cm of fresh snow. Areas in Romania and Slovenia are mostly looking good too with fresh snow and bases up to 90cm too.
Scotland
It's been a memorable week on Scottish slopes with all five areas being forced to close since the day of our report last Thursday, mostly by severe gales that have been battering the Highlands almost constantly, making lift operations too dangerous. The upside of the story weather has been a lot of fresh snow, enough to allow The Lecht and probably Glenshee to re-open having previously been closed due to lack of snow. There have also been powder conditions across the five centres. More storms are hitting today (Thursday 15th) but if things finally settle down the five areas may be able to open on Friday or Saturday.
North America
Canada
Most of the fresh snow in Canada this week was on the East side of the country where there was 20cm at Mont Ste Anne and Tremblant in Quebec and a foot (30cm) at Blue Mountain in Ontario. On the West snowfall has been mostly in the 5-10cm bracket and the famous powder is getting a little skied out whilst on the slopes, where snow depths are typically at least a metre plus, the groomed slopes are in superb condition.
USA
Resorts in Utah saw the biggest snowfalls in the US this week, much of it falling in a 36 hour period over Monday/Tuesday, adding up to as much as 60m of new powder. Snowbird and Alta topped the table with 60cm (two feet) each – off piste conditions are reported to be superb. Vermont on the East was the second most snowy state – resorts include Stowe and Smugglers Notch received a foot of snow around Sunday/Monday – bases are now 30-60cm. There was fresh snow in Colorado too – typically 10cm at most areas and Jackson Hole's amazing snowfall season continues too, with its base still around the 2m ark and another 15cm of fresh snow.