Well we did think this was going to be the last one of the season, but there's still more snow (at altitude) in the forecast and there are still ski areas open, so next week will be the final 15/16 Snow Mail before we go Monthly for the summer!
Les Arcs this afternoon - turned out nice again...
This Week's Snow Headlines
- A foot of fresh snow at year-round Zermatt.
- A foot of snow forecast this weekend in Colorado.
- Around half of resorts in the Alps now closed for the season, but most in France still open.
- Chamonix, with world's deepest reported snow base, claims it has increased to 7.1m
- Andorra ends its 2015-16 ski season.
- All leading ski areas in Scandinavia still open.
The ending of the ski season is now in full swing in Europe with most Austrian resorts closed, and around half of those in France and Italy also closed. Most areas have also closed in the Pyrenees but all leading ski areas in Scandinavia are still open.
It's a little ironic then that for many areas April is proving a snowier month than December; with another 10-30cm of snow reported on the upper slopes in most resorts. Forecasters are also predicting some more snow in the Alps, possibly 30-60cm on higher slopes in the coming week and perhaps as much as a metre at Zermatt.
In The Alpine Forecast
Another week of varying weather will bring fresh snow at altitude (and rain below), with many areas of The Alps now expecting warm, clear days interspersed with considerably cooler and snowier ones.
For resorts still open, the end of season conditions are looking great; generally Spring snow but some real powder possibilities if you time it right...
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The Alps
Austria
The majority of Austria's leading ski areas closed on Sunday and there are currently around 20 of the bigger, higher resorts still open with most of these now aiming for a Sunday May 1st closure. At the still-open areas there has been some more fresh April snow with most receiving between 5-20cm of new snow and still more is forecast for the week ahead, up to 40cm in fact if predictions are correct. Most of the country's glacier areas which plan to stay open to June, July or beyond have good bases in the 2.5 -3 metre bracket so things are looking good for late spring and summer skiing as well as the last few weeks of Austria's main season.
France
Most French ski areas are still open, for the coming weekend at least, with many open to the end of the month and in the case of resorts like Tignes and Val Thorens, in to May. It has largely been sunny spring conditions on French slopes but there has been some fresh snow at higher elevations – typically 5-20cm over the past week. Chamonix says it got 10cm up top and has increased its claimed snow depth up there from 7m to 7.1m as a result. Bases up top remain good at French areas (Most in the 1.,5m-2.5m bracket) and even lower down at resort level, although low lying traditional villages like Chamonix, Les Contamines, Vaujany and Le Grand Bornand no longer have any snow cover at base.
Italy
A little more than half of Italy's leading ski areas closed last weekend including most of the ski areas in the Dolomites but you can still ski at Passo Tonale and at Faloria (Cortina d'Ampezzo) and Passo Fedaia (Marmolada) until 1st May. The only fresh snow in the country this week (25cm) was reported at Cervinia, which also has the deepest base at 215cm and will also be open in to May.
Switzerland
About half of the leading Swiss areas closed for the season last weekend too, with more set to follow this. However the biggest snowfalls in Europe of the past week have been here, with 35cm at Laax and 30cm at year-round Zermatt reported. Most Swiss resorts now have zero cover down at resort level but snow levels on upper runs remain good, with more than 3m at Andermatt and Engelberg (open to late May) and most other open Swiss resorts reporting at least 2m lying. Forecasters are predicting good snowfalls in Switzerland over the coming week with 30-60cm at most areas and possibly more than a metre at Zermatt.
Scandinavia
In Scandinavia alone there's no real sign of the season ending at the region's international resorts, all of which remain almost fully open and in most cases there are no plans to close before the start of May. Base depths have dipped a bit (mostly in the 60-80cm bracket now) and there's been little sign of any fresh snow – although the biggest resort, Are in Sweden, has reported 10cm of fresh. Light snowfall is expected in the week ahead.
Pyrenees
Most of the ski areas in the Pyrenees (including all in Andorra and all major areas on the Spanish side) closed on Sunday. However some resorts on the French side remain open, including Cauterets which continues to boast one of the world's deeper snowbases at 3m and fresh snow received in recent days, more than 20cm this week with more forecast. In the south of Spain, Sierra Nevada is making up for its late start to the season and remains fully operational with more than 80km of runs open.
Eastern Europe
Most Eastern European ski areas closed last weekend but a few still operate. Bansko in Bulgaria has had no fresh snow and has nothing left at resort level but still has a 1.6m base up top. Jasna in the Slovak Republic is also still operating with top to bottom skiing (10-60cm base).
Scotland
Some fresh snow in Scotland this week and conditions on higher slopes look good at the two still open-daily centres – Glencoe and Cairngorm. Nevis Range has decided to stop opening midweek now but may open weekends if conditions are good and business levels look likely to cover costs – a decision is due for this weekend later today.
North America
Canada
Most of Canada's ski areas closed over the last few weekends. The exceptions are the resorts open to early May – Lake Louise, Mt Norquay and Marmot Basin in Alberta, and to late May – Sunshine near Banff in Alberta and Whistler in BC. Tremblant in Quebec is also soldiering on for another week. There's been little fresh snowfall but bases should certainly last. Whistler now has the deepest at 2.7m (nine feet) whilst it's nearer 1.5m (five feet) still at the Alberta resorts.
USA
Most US resorts have also now closed for the season and most of the rest are closing this weekend. Mother Nature is not amused however and it's continuing to snow in the West and even (somewhat ironically given the largely warm and snowless winter and early spring in New England) – Stowe in Vermont reported 'mid-winter conditions' earlier this week. The snow in the West is certainly helping this season be a 'banner year' at many resorts in the region. Aspen announced plans to stay open for 'bonus weekends' through April after closing mid-week and Mammoth still has more than a 5m base – the deepest in North America and second deepest in the world. Squaw Valley says it will be open to at least the end of May and Ayeska in Alaska has passed the 20m snowfall-this-season-to-date stat this week, the most of any resort in the world this season by some margin. The snow doesn't seem to have finished yet either, Breckenridge in Colorado, still open, is expecting another foot this weekend.